" SITTING IN THE AIR." rTo THE EDITOR Or TEE
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the first volume of the Saturday Magazine, 1832, -occurs the following account of a Brahmin named Sheshal, 'who was then performing this feat at Tanjore, in Madras ;—
"He exhibited before me in the following manner he first 'allowed me to examine a stool. about 18 in. in height, on the seat -of which were two brass stars inlaid, a little larger than a dollar ; he then displayed a hollow bamboo, 2 ft. in length, and 24 in. in -diameter. The next article was a roll of antelope skin, perhaps 4 in. in circumference and 2 ft. in length. The man then con- oealed himself in a large shawl, with these three articles and a large bag ; after a delay of five minutes, during which he appeared very busy under the shawl, he ordered the covering to be taken .off him, and he was discovered actually sitting cross-legged in the .sir, but leaninghis right arm on the antelope skin, which com- municated horizontally with the hollow bamboo, which again was connected perpendicularly with the stool, directly over one of the brass stars. [An illustration showing the man in position on his apparatus is given.] He eat for more than half an hour 'counting his beads in his right hand, and without once changing theexpression of hiscountenance, which was quite calm, and as if this new mode of sitting was no exertion to him. I saw him exhibit-four times, and each time tried, my utmost to discover the secret, but without Success. A large bribe was offered to induce inin to reveal his mode of performance, but he declined the ex- Venation. I account for it thus. The brass stars in the stool oonceal a socket for a steel rod passing through the hollow 'bamboo, the antelope skin conceals another steel rod which is -screwed into the one in the bamboo; other rods pass through the (man's sleeve ant down his body, which support a ring in which he sits:" This solution appears to be applicable to most of the recorded performances of this feat.—I am, Sir, &a,
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