anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第110部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wer　of　the　Chateau　and　the　clock　of　the　Jacobins；　at　a　height　of　156　feet。　A　similar　performance　was　given　at　Milan　before　the　French　Ambassadors；　and　at　Venice　under　the　Doges　and　the　Senate　on　each　St。　Mark's　Day；　rope…walkers　performed　at　high　altitudes。　In　1649　a　man　attempted　to　traverse　the　Seine　on　a　rope　placed　between　the　Tour　de　Nesles　and　the　Tour　du　Grand…Prevost。　The　performance；　however；　was　interrupted　by　the　fall　of　the　mountebank　into　the　Seine。　At　subsequent　fairs　in　France　other　acrobats　have　appeared。　At　the　commencement　of　this　century　there　was　a　person　named　Madame　Saqui　who　astonished　the　public　with　her　nimbleness　and　extraordinary　skill　in　rope　walking。　Her　specialty　was　military　maneuvers。　On　a　cord　20　meters　from　the　ground　she　executed　all　sorts　of　military　pantomimes　without　assistance；　shooting　off　pistols；　rockets；　and　various　colored　fires。　Napoleon　awarded　her　the　title　of　the　first　acrobat　of　France。　She　gave　a　performance　as　late　as　1861　at　the　Hippodrome　of　Paris。

In　1814　there　was　a　woman　called　〃La　Malaga；〃　who；　in　the　presence　of　the　allied　sovereigns　at　Versailles；　made　an　ascension　on　a　rope　200　feet　above　the　Swiss　Lake。

In　the　present　generation　probably　the　most　famous　of　all　the　equilibrists　was　Blondin。　This　person；　whose　real　name　was　Emile　Gravelet；　acquired　a　universal　reputation；　about　1860　he　traversed　the　Niagara　Falls　on　a　cable　at　an　elevation　of　nearly　200　feet。　Blondin　introduced　many　novelties　in　his　performances。　Sometimes　he　would　carry　a　man　over　on　his　shoulders；　again　he　would　eat　a　meal　while　on　his　wire；　cook　and　eat　an　omelet；　using　a　table　and　ordinary　cooking　utensils；　all　of　which　he　kept　balanced。　In　France　Blondin　was　almost　the　patron　saint　of　the　rope…walkers；　and　at　the　present　day　the　performers　imitate　his　feats；　but　never　with　the　same　grace　and　perfection。

In　1882　an　acrobat　bearing　the　natural　name　of　Arsens　Blondin　traversed　one　river　after　another　in　France　on　a　wire　stretched　at　high　altitudes。　With　the　aid　of　a　balancing…rod　he　walked　the　rope　blindfolded；　with　baskets　on　his　feet；　sometimes　he　wheeled　persons　over　in　a　wheelbarrow。　He　was　a　man　of　about　thirty；　short；　but　wonderfully　muscled　and　extremely　supple。

It　is　said　that　a　negro　equilibrist　named　Malcom　several　times　traversed　the　Meuse　at　Sedan　on　a　wire　at　about　a　height　of　100　feet。　Once　while　attempting　this　feat；　with　his　hands　and　feet　shackled　with　iron　chains；　allowing　little　movement；　the　support　on　one　side　fell；　after　the　cable　had　parted；　and　landed　on　the　spectators；　killing　a　young　girl　and　wounding　many　others。　Malcom　was　precipitated　into　the　river；　but　with　wonderful　presence　of　mind　and　remarkable　strength　he　broke　his　bands　and　swam　to　the　shore；　none　the　worse　for　his　high　fall；　he　immediately　helped　in　attention　to　his　wounded　spectators。　A　close　inspection　of　all　the　exhibitionists　of　this　class　will　show　that　they　are　of　superior　physique　and　calm　courage。　They　only　acquire　their　ability　after　long　gymnastic　exercise；　as　well　as　actual　practice　on　the　rope。　Most　of　these　persons　used　means　of　balancing　themselves；　generally　a　long　and　heavy　pole；　but　some　used　nothing　but　their　outstretched　arms。　In　1895；　at　the　Royal　Aquarium　in　London；　there　was　an　individual　who　slowly　mounted　a　long　wire　reaching　to　the　top　of　this　huge　structure；　and；　after　having　made　the　ascent；　without　the　aid　of　any　means　of　balancing　but　his　arms；　slid　the　whole　length　of　the　wire；　landing　with　enormous　velocity　into　an　outstretched　net。

The　equilibrists　mentioned　thus　far　have　invariably　used　a　tightly　stretched　rope　or　wire；　but　there　are　a　number　of　persons　who　perform　feats；　of　course　not　of　such　magnitude；　on　a　slack　wire；　in　which　they　have　to　defy　not　only　the　force　of　gravity；　but　the　to…and…fro　motion　of　the　cable　as　well。　It　is　particularly　with　the　Oriental　performers　that　we　see　this　exhibition。　Some　use　open　parasols；　which；　with　their　Chinese　or　Japanese　costumes；　render　the　performance　more　picturesque；　while　others　seem　to　do　equally　well　without　such　adjuncts。　There　have　been　performers　of　this　class　who　play　with　sharp　daggers　while　maintaining　themselves　on　thin　and　swinging　wires。

Another　class　of　equilibrists　are　those　who　maintain　the　upright　position　resting　on　their　heads　with　their　feet　in　the　air。　At　the　Hippodrome　in　Paris　some　years　since　there　was　a　man　who　remained　in　this　position　seven　minutes　and　ate　a　meal　during　the　interval。　There　were　two　clowns　at　the　Cirque　Franconi　who　duplicated　this　feat；　and　the　program　called　their　dinner　〃Un　dejouner　en　tete…a…tete。〃　Some　other　persons　perform　wonderful　feats　of　a　similar　nature　on　an　oscillating　trapeze；　and　many　similar　performances　have　been　witnessed　by　the　spectators　of　our　large　circuses。

The　〃human　pyramids〃　are　interesting；　combining；　as　they　do；　wonderful　power　of　maintaining　equilibrium　with　agility　and　strength。　The　rapidity　with　which　they　are　formed　and　are　tumbled　to　pieces　is　marvelous　they　sometimes　include　as　many　as　16　persons　men；　women；　and　children。

The　exhibitions　given　by　the　class　of　persons　commonly　designated　as　〃jugglers〃　exemplify　the　perfect　control　that　by　continual　practice　one　may　obtain　over　his　various　senses　and　muscles。　The　most　wonderful　feats　of　dexterity　are　thus　reduced　into　mere　automatic　movements。　Either　standing；　sitting；　mounted　on　a　horse；　or　even　on　a　wire；　they　are　able　to　keep　three　four；　five；　and　even　six　balls　in　continual　motion　in　the　air。　They　use　articles　of　the　greatest　difference　in　specific　gravity　in　the　same　manner。　A　juggler　called　〃Kara；〃　appearing　in　London　and　Paris　in　the　summer　of　1895；　juggled　with　an　open　umbrella；　an　eye…glass；　and　a　traveling　satchel；　and　received　each　after　its　course　in　the　air　with　unerring　precision。　Another　man　called　〃Paul　Cinquevalli；〃　well　known　in　this　country；　does　not　hesitate　to　juggle　with　lighted　lamps　or　pointed　knives。　The　tricks　of　the　clowns　with　their　traditional　pointed　felt　hats　are　well　known。　Recently　there　appeared　in　Philadelphia　a　man　who　received　six　such　hats　on　his　head；　one　on　top　of　the　other；　thrown　by　his　partner　from　the　rear　of　the　first　balcony　of　the　theater。　Others　will　place　a　number　of　rings　on　their　fingers；　and　with　a　swift　and　dexterous　movement　toss　them　all　in　the　air；　catching　them　again　all　on　one　finger。　Without　resorting　to　the　fabulous　method　of　Columbus；　they　balance　eggs　on　a　table；　and　in　extraordinary　ways　defy　all　the　powers　of　gravity。

In　India　and　China　we　see　the　most　marvelous　of　the　knife…jugglers。

With　unerring　skill　they　keep　in　motion　many　pointed　knives；　always　receiving　them　at　their　fall　by　the　handles。　They　throw　their　implements　with　such　precision　that　one　often　sees　men；　who；　placing　their　partner　against　a　soft　board；　will　stand　at　some　distance　and　so　pen　him　in　with　daggers　that　he　cannot　move　until　some　are　withdrawn；　marking　a　silhouette　of　his　form　on　the　board；yet　never　once　does　one　as　much　as　graze　the　skin。　With　these　same　people　the　foot…jugglers　are　most　common。　These　persons；　both　made　and　female；　will　with　their　feet　juggle　substances　and　articles　that　it　requires　several　assistants　to　raise。

A　curious　trick　is　given　by　Rousselet　in　his　magnificent　work　entitled　〃L'Inde　des　Rajahs；〃　and　quoted　by　Guyot…Daubes。　It　is　called　in　India　the　〃dance　of　the　eggs。〃　The　dancer；　dressed　in　a　rather　short　skirt；　places　on　her　head　a　large　wheel　made　of　light　wood；　and　at　regular　intervals　having　hanging　from　it　pieces　of　thread；　at　the　ends　of　which　are　running　knots　kept　open　by　beads　of　glass。　She　then　brings　forth　a　basket　of　eggs；　and　passes　them　around　for　inspection　to　assure　her　spectators　of　their　genuineness。　The　monotonous　music　commences　and　the　dancer　sets　the　wheel　on　her　head　in　rapid　motion；　then；　taking　an　egg；　with　a　quick　movement　she　puts　it　on　one　of　the　running　knots　and　increases　the　velocity　of　the　revolution　of　the　wheel　by　gyrations　until　the　centrifugal　force　makes　each　cord　stand　out　in　an　almost　horizontal　line　with　the　circumference　of　the　wheel。　Then　one　after　another　she　places　the　eggs　on　the　knots　of　the　cord；　until　all　are　flying　about　her　head　in　an　almost　horizontal　position。　At　this　moment　the　dance　begins；　and　it　is　almost　impossible　to　distinguish　the　features　of　the　dancer。　She　continues　her　dance；　apparently　indifferent　to　the　revolving　eggs。　At　the　velocity　with　which　they　revolve　the　slightest　false　movement　would　cause　them　to　knock　against　one　another　and　surely　break。　Finally；　with　the　same　lightning…like　movements；　she　removes　them　one　by　one；　certainly　the　most　delicate　part　of　the　trick；　until　they　are　all　safely　laid　away　in　the　basket　from　which　they　came；　and　then　she　suddenly　brings　the　wheel　to　a　stop；　after　this　wonderful　performance；　lasting　possibly　thirty　minutes；　she　bows　herself　out。

A　unique　Japanese　feat　is　to　tear　pieces　of　paper　into　the　form　of　butterflies　and　launch　them　into　the　air　about　a　vase　full　of　flowers；　then　with　a　fan　to　keep　them　in　motion；　making　them　light　on　the　flowers；　fly　away；　and　return；　after　the　manner　of　several　living　butterflies；　without　allowing　one　to　fall　to　the　ground。

Marksmen。It　would　be　an　incomplete　paper　on　the　acute　development　of　the　senses　that　did　not　pay　tribute　to　the　men　who　exhibit　marvelous　skill　with　firearms。　In　the　old　frontier　days　in　the　Territories；　the　woodsmen　far　eclipsed　Tell　with　his　bow　or　Robin　Hood's　famed　band　by　their　unerring　aim　with　their　rifles。　It　is　only　lately　that　there　disappeared　in　this　country　the　last　of　many　woodsmen；　who；　though　standing　many　paces　away　and　without　the　aid　of　the　improved　sights　of　modern　guns；　could　by　means　of　a　rifle…ball；　with　marvelous　precision；　drive　a　nail　〃home〃　that　had　been　placed　partly　in　a　board。　The　experts　who　shoot　at　glass　balls　rarely　miss；　and　when　we　consider　the　number　used　each　year；　the　proportion　of　inaccurate　shots　is　surprisingly　small。　Ira　Paine；　Doctor　Carver；　and　others　have　been　seen　in　their　marvelous　performances　by　many　people　of　the　present　generation。　The　records　made　by　many　of　the　competitors　of　the　modern　army…shooting　matches　are　none　the　less　wonderful；　exemplifying　as　they　do　the　degree　of　precision　that　the　eye　may　attain　and　the　cont