"Travellers have written about the basket trick, in which a boy enters a basket just large enough to hold him; the performer then begins a conversation with the boy, which becomes more and more violent as it proceeds, and finally a sword is thrust into the basket and apparently pierces the occupant. He screams, and calls out that he is killed. The sword is thrust in again and again; the boy's screams become fainter and fainter, and finally cease, and it is supposed that he has been killed. The basket is soon after lifted, and found to be empty, and the boy appears in the crowd of by-standers. We have seen this trick two or three times, and in each instance there was plenty of opportunity for the boy to escape before the conversation began, and, of course, the screams could be made to come from the basket by means of ventriloquism. In another basket trick the boy remains in the basket, and the sword is handled in such a manner as to avoid touching him. "A trick more difficult to explain is that of making a tree grow in a short time. The juggler takes a common pot filled with earth, and plants a mango-seed in the centre; then he squats in front of it, and begins playing on a musical instrument, or perhaps he sits perfectly still and looks at the ground. In a minute or so the earth in the centre of the pot swells, and then bursts, so as to show the plant springing from the seed; the shoot appears and rises slowly, and it grows and grows, till at length the leaves come out, the blossoms form, the fruit shapes itself, ripens, and is plucked off and handed to the spectators. The whole process of growth, from the planting of the seed to the ripening and plucking of the fruit, occupies about half an hour, and the performer does not touch the pot or bring his hand near the tree until the fruit is to be plucked. [Illustration: SERPENTS DANCING TO MUSIC.] "Snake-charmers are numerous, and we have looked at them till we are tired of their performances. They carry small baskets about the size and shape of a Cheshire cheese, and with loose covers over the top, as we have previously described. The basket is placed on the ground and the cover removed, while the performer squats by its side and begins playing on a sort of flute. In a few moments the cloths in the basket begin to move, and the head of a cobra rises slowly from among them; the music continues, and in a little while the snake has come quite out of the basket, and is standing as erect as a snake can stand before its master. He makes a sort of dancing motion, and is evidently fond of the flute, as he lowers his head and goes back to the basket when the man ceases playing.