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T H E C H E M A W A A M E R IC A N
YOGI STORIES
M any of the sciences and arts of m odern civilization
had th eir beginning centuries ago in the E ast. E a s t
ern philosophers not only invented our num bers and
our notation system and contributed in one way and
an o th er to various other th in g s th a t we use every day,
b u t they produced a peculiar lite ra tu re and philosophy
and delved profoundly into m a n ’s psychical powers
as well as various unexplained n atu ral laws. On the
discoveries and rep u ted discoveries of these m ystics
and ascetics have been based several cults and isms
w ith large Bodies of adherents in A m erica and other
countries of the W estern world.
T h ere is no doubt that som e of these m ystics resort
freq u en tly to trickery and fraud w ith in ten t to deceive.
Y et in some instances they appear actually to possess
a w eird kind of su p ern atu ral pow er and the ability to
perform feats th a t no one can explain on any n atu ral
basis.
Some of these men seem to have acquired a most
ex trao rd in ary m astery over m atter. T hey say they
have accom plished th is by rigid penance. W hether
th is is tru e or not, it is not uncom m on for some of
them to abstain from food and w ater for long periods.
Som etim es they impose on them selves absolute si
lence and no th in g can induce them to u tte r a word or
syllable. A nother m eans em ployed to inflict th eir
bodies and gain superhum an pow ers is to lie for a long
tim e on a spiked bed. Still an o th er is to hold the arm
extended above the head u n til it become fixed in th a t
position and the nails grow into th e palm of the hand.
N um erous witnesses, regarded by all who know
them as tru th fu l men and w om en, have testified to
th e strange, u nusual pow ers of these occultists.
Stories are told of th eir w alking th ro u g h a fierce fire
w holly u nharm ed. In some instances, it is declared,
onlookers suddenly become endow ed w ith this m ar
velous h eat-resisting pow er and follow th e yogi u n
harm ed th ro u g h flames whose heat is so intense as to
scorch the clothing of persons sta n d in g near.
A young E nglishm an was on the point of m arry in g
a certain young lady to whom his m other objected
strong ly for some reason or o th er. H e called on a
yogi celebrated for his occult pow er, hoping to as
certain th ro u g h him w hether the girl really cared for
him . A fter bidding th e young sw ain seat him self on
th e floor— the h u t was bare of ev ery th in g but the
m ost essential fu rn itu re —the yogi had the lig h t e x tin
guished and then directed his caller to co n cen trate
his m ind on his wish and th en ask a question.
A ll was silent for a few m inutes and th en th e y o u n g
m an said: “ Tell me who is th e women that loves me
b e s t.” A fter m u tte rin g some in can tatio n s th e old
m an set fire to some sandalw ood. T h e sm oke arose
and form ed a sort of cloud in th e room . T h en it
m elted aw ay and in its place there appeared th e picture
of an aged w om an. T h e visitor, greatly surprised,
exclaim ed: “ My m o th e r!” A s h e spoke, how ever,
th e vision began to fade and w ith in a few m inutes
q u ite disappeared.
A fter re lig h tin g the lam p, the yogi inquired: “ Are
you q u ite satisfied, my son?” T h e E ng lish m an r e
plied th a t he was and sou g h t to press a coin into the
old m a n ’s h an d . H e waved it aw ay, how ever, d e
claring th at he w anted no m oney and b id d in g him go
in peace and m ake an offering to the poor. O nly a
sh o rt tim e after th is the young m an received from
his fiancee a letter breaking off the engagem ent.
HOW DO RATS CARRY EGGS?
W hen the eggs of chickens and other dom estic fowl
are found in th e partitions of houses, u n d er floors and
in o th e r places frequented by rats b u t inaccessible to
the egg-layers, th e natural conclusion is th at rats have
carried them th ere. T h is is probably correct but it is
largely a circum stantial conclusion; not even th e most
learned n atu ra lists can say au th o ritativ ely how rats
can carry eggs w ith o u t breaking them .
Some who claim to have seen the feat perform ed say
th a t the ra t holds the egg closely betw een his chin
and forefeet or grips it snugly betw een his forefeet.
W hen he w ants to descend to a low er level he covers
the egg w ith his body so as to protect it and then deftly
tum bles dow n. In some cases, alleged eye-w itnesses
aver th e ra t will hold th e egg, lying flat on his back,
and a crowd of his fellows will seize his tail and drag
him and the egg over level surfaces.
N um erous observers agree th a t a num ber of rats
invariably take part in th e w ork of carrying an egg.
H ow ever, looking on from a distance, as is necessarily
th e case, it is difficult to determ ine exactly how the
in d iv id u als of th e group w ork. T h ey do a great deal
of squealing but no-one has been able to decide w h eth
er this is in the n atu re of com plaint at h av in g to do
w hat seems an u n fair proportion of th e w ork or an
o u tcry of pain from g ettin g scratched or having th eir
toes stepped on. P erhaps they m ake th e job a sort of
football scrim m age and squeal in sheer enjoym ent of
the fun and excitem ent.
FEM ININITY OF SHIPS
T o th e E nglish-speaking sailor a sh ip is alw ays a
“ sh e ” and m any of the vessel’s fittings and attrib u tes
— w aist, stays, laces, bonnets, ties, ribbons, chains,
w atches, e tc .—are distinctly fem inine. I t is believed
th a t th e G reeks originated the custom of speaking of
ships as fem inine, applying fem inine nam es to th eir
craft in deference to A thene, th eir goddess of the sea.
In th e F re n ch , Ita lia n , S panish and P o rtu g u ese la n
guages the w ord “ s h ip ” is m asculine. In th e T e u
tonic and S candinavian to n g u es it is neuter in gender.