Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1916 — MR. FIRE WALKER TRAPPED AT LAST [ARTICLE]

MR. FIRE WALKER TRAPPED AT LAST

BASALT Rocks, over which taHITIANS PRANCE, ARE POOR CONDUCTORS OF HEAT GAMBOL DOFS NOT CAUSE PAIN New York Museum Takee Heavy Fgll Out of "Holy Men” With Ita Expose.

New York—ls this yam should by any chance be read around some Tahitian fireside, the firewalking industry in the South Sea Islands, which is one of the hottest drawing cards (he holy men have for amassing Cocoanuts will suffer a severe slump. In fact, considering the ardent temperament of the average Tahitian, the flames of wrath which will attend the expose- will make the fire walkers’ bonfire look like a smudge pot. For this is a revelation of why smdke colored, thiny skinned gentlemen, arrayed in fibre skirts and some beads about the neck, can lead yodel ing believers over a holy fire without Incineration. The statistics or whatever the facts are called which burst fond -illusions, have been garnered by the American Museum of Natural History, and are set forth in the South Sea Island hall there, with chocolate colored figures and much printfed mat ter, to make them plain to all who pass by. The Tahitian fire walker earns a comfortable living and an enormous amount of veneration through an ability to lead his devoted congregation in syncopated prayer at the edge of a burning chasm. The long trench in which the flame spurts up is piled with rocks of porous basalt Just before the hurried journey over the flaming pit begins, an attendant cares for the stone with large leaves. Then the priest, wearing a crown of flowers on his head and a large bunch of “ti” (Dracaena terminalis, they are, say the museum experts) in his hands, walks around the fire. He converses at length and with some eloquence with his friends, the supernaturals, who are going to cool the flames. Then after cocking an experienced eye at the basalt, he walks over the center ridge of stone above the fire, and his disciples very unhappy in mind and bare of feet, follow him.-* They all walk back and forth several times, and, of course, everybody is deeply impressed.

The museum after expatiating upon the dramatic effects of this hot coal gambol, explains that basalt, rock, being extremely porous, is a poor con ductor of heat. Although the bottom of the rock may be pink with fire, the top is merely hot, and has no effect upon the toughened sole of the natives’ feet. There is a figure of a fire uralkex modeled after one who belongs to the union in the museum exhibit and there are also figures of a kava-brewer, a roof maker, a coooanut grater and a firemaker. The models are arranged co show the daily life of the Tahitians and to explode their cherished belief in that remunerative religious rite, the fiery hesitation.