Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-12-14


by the forearm. The lad merely wipes
the spot, and proceeds to tie the serpent
like necklace around his neck. Then tne
tail is tied into knot around the reptiles
head, and again head and tail into double
knot. ,,,e.J sd, }a -iasua aaf nI
After amusing himself in this way for
some. time, the serpent is told to lie quiet,
and stretched on his back, the neck and
chin being gently stroked. Whether any
sort of mesneric influence is produced we
know not, but the snake remains on his
back, perfectly still, as if dead During
this time the first cobra has rernnined coll
ed up, with head erect, apparently watch
ing the proceedings Of the Arab. After a
pause, the, lad takes up the second cobra.
and carrying II to the first, pinches and lr-
rtates both TO make them fight the fer
Ger snake seizes the other by the throat,
and coling around him they roll struggling
across the stage. Mohammed then leaves
these serpents in charge of Jubar, and
draws third snake out of the box. This
he ties in variety of apparently impossi-
bic knots, and then holding him at little
distance from his face, allows the snake TO
strike at it, Just dodging each time sufii-
ciently far TO avoid the blow. The SER
pent is then placed in his bosom next the
skin, and left there, and it is not SO easy
after time, to draw it out of its warm
resting place. The tail is pulled. but no !,
the serpent is around the lads body and
will not come. After several unsuccessful
efforts, Mohammed rubbed the tail briskly
between his two hands, a process which is
plainly visible, is the reverse of agreeable
AT last Mohammed pulls him hand-over-
hand-as the sailors say--and Just as the
head flies out, the cobra makes a parting
snap at his tormentor's face, for which he
receives a smart cuff on the head; and is
then, with the others, replaced in the box.
......... HOW IT IS DONE, ~
DR.. John Davy, in his work on Ceylon,
denies that The fangs are extracted from the
serpents which are exhibited, and says that
the only charm employed is that of courage
and conference.-the natives avoiding the
stroke of the serpents with wonderful
agility, adding that they will play their
tricks with any hooded snake, but with no
other poisonous serpent. In order that we
might get at the truth, we sought it from
. the fountain head, and our questions were
most freely answered by Jubar- Abou-Hai-
jab, Mohammed acting as interpreter.
. q. How are serpentS caught in the
: first instance? ~ rr.s.foor
, A. I take this adze, (holding up a sort
d Of geological hammer mounted on long
: hande,) and as soon as have found hole
= cnngoi,;rr. I tha orfl
: till he comes out, or can be got at | ther
I take stick in my right hand, and seizing
e the snake by the tail in the left, hold it a
: arms length. He keeps trying TO bite, bn
= l push his head away with the stick. At
n ter doing this for some time, throw hin
e straight on the ground still holding HIM by
u the tail; allow him 10 raise his head anC
:. try TO bite for some time, in order that h
II may learn how to attack, still keeping hin
y off with the stick. When this has beer
s. done long enough, slide the stick up tt
n his head and fix it firmly on the ground
e and taking the adze, and forcing open hi
e mouth, break off. the fangs with it, care
: fully removing every portion, and .espe
+ cialy squeezing out all the poison am
. blood, which l wipe away as long as
l. continues to flow; when this is done tn
'e snake is harmless and ready for use.
y y Q. Do the ordinary jugglrrs, or onl
+" the hereditary snake charmers catch tn
= cobra? ....
- A. We are the only persons who dar
q TO catch them, and when the jugglers war
= snakes they come TO Us for them; with tn;
u adze tpointing to the hammer) / hav
- caught and taken out the iangs of man
I" thousands rAr rtf'' t"ffi#H'
10 q. Do you use any other snakes besid,
y the cobras tor your exhibition - ia .n.
J., aA A. No because the cobranis the onl
=, one that will fight weil. The cobra is a
=. wavs ready to give battle, but the 9TH
= snakes are sluggish, only bite, and can't
ns taught for our exhibitions.
~ Q. What do the Arabs do if they ha
,is pen to be bitten by poisonous snake 2
a. a. They immediately tie a cord tig
,or round'th arm above the wound and c
,,o out the bitten part as soon as possible
ho some burn it they then squeeze the ar
~ downward, so as TO press out the poisoi
on but they don't suck it, because 1t is bad
.ge the mouth however, in spite of this, tn
sometimes die. aHr Hsa lsfa
~ Q. Do you think it possible that cohr
>0 r could be exhibited without the fangs bel
% removedl .-l 1 -ltsr D 7Ht
%, 90, A. Certainlylnot, for the least scrat
lao of their deadly teeth would cause instf
PIE death and there is not day that we ex
'ne bit that we are not bitten, and no skill
o'n the world would prevent il. ..r..-..l
~ Such were the particulars given us b,
r. g., most distinguished professor in the art
~, snake charming and, therefore, they n
.aa be relied on as correct; the matter of (
! aS way ir which he acted, as well as rela
AZ, the snake catching, bore the impress
a", % truth, and there certainly would appear
han be far less mystery about the craft than
I. q, generally been supposed. ''st 7ai BON.
but % .in THE REPTILE HOUSES. f.'a
l- The reptile-house is fitted up with mi
ONE attention to security and elegance of
foot sign; arranged along the left side are roo