It is said that quite recently in Detroit there
was a performer who accomplished the feat of remaining under
water four minutes and eight seconds in full view of the
audience. Miss Lurline swam about in her aquarium, which was
brilliantly illuminated, ate, reclined, and appeared to be taking
a short nap during her short immersion. In Paris, some years
since, there was exhibited a creature called "l'homme-poisson,"
who performed feats similar to Lurline, including the smoking of
a cigarette held entirely in his mouth. In all these exhibitions
all sorts of artificial means are used to make the submersion
appear long. Great ceremony, music, and the counting of the
seconds in a loud voice from the stage, all tend to make the time
appear much longer than it really is. However, James Finney in
London, April 7, 1886, stayed under water four minutes,
twenty-nine and one-fourth seconds, and one of his feats was to
pick up 70 or 80 gold-plated half-pennies with his mouth, his
hands being securely tied behind his back, and never emerging
from his tank until his feat was fully accomplished. In company
with his sister he played a game of "nap" under water, using
porcelain cards and turning them to the view of the audience.
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