Polynesian., 1851-03-15

head, and our questions were thus most free
ly answered by Jubar-Abou-Haijab, Hamet
acting as interpreter.
@. How are the serpents caught in the
first instance
A. take this adze, (holding up a sort of
geological hammer mounted on a long han
die, and as soon as have found hole con-
taing cobra, knock away the earth till he
comes out, or can be got at then take a
stick in my right hand, and seizing the snake
by the tail with the left, hold it at arms
length. He keeps trying to bite, and push
his head away with the stick. After doing
this some time throw him straight on the
ground, still holding him by tbs tail allow
him to raise his head and try to bite, for
some time, in order that he may learn how
to attack, still keeping him off with the stick.
When this has been done long enough,
slide the stick up to his head and fix it firm
ly on the ground; then taking the adze, and
forcing open the mouth, break off the fangs
with it. carefully removing every portion,
and especially squeezing out all the poison
and blood, which wipe away as long as it
continues to flow; when this is done the
snake is harmless and ready for use.
@. DO the ordinary jugglers, or only the
hereditary snake-charmers, catch the Co
bras
A. We are the only person who dare to
catch them, and when the jugglers want
snakes they come to us for them with that
adze (pointing to the hammer) have caught
and taken out the fangs of many thousands
@. Do you use any other snake besides
the cobras for your exhibitions
A. No. because the cobra is the only
one that will fight well. The cobra is always
ready to give battle, but the other snakes
are sluggish, only bite, and can't be taught
for our exhibitions.
@. What do the Arabs do if they happen
to be bitten by poisonous snake
A. They Immediately tie a cord tIgh
round the arm above the wound and cut Ou
the bitten part as soon as possible-som'
burn it.; they then squeeze the arm down
ward, so as to press out the poison but they
don't suck it. because it is bad for the mouth
however, in spite of all this, they sometime!
die.
@. Do you think it possible that cobra
could be exhibited without the fangs being
removed
/, "A. Certainly not, for the least scratch o
their deadly teeth, would cause death, ant
there is not day that we exhibit that we ar
not bitten. and no skill in the world woult
f prevent it.
, Such were the particulars given us by {
most distinguished professor in the art o
, snake charming, and therefore, they may d
Irelied on as correct the matter-ot-fact wa
in which he acted as well as related, tn
snake-catching bore the impress of truth
and there certainly would appear to be ia
, less mystery about the craft than has general
, ly been supposed. ......
: THE REPTILE HOUSES.
4 The reptile-house is fitted up with muc
= attention to security and elegance of design
: arranged along the left side are roomy cage
! painted to initiate mahogany and fronte
, with plate glass They are ventilated b.
perforated plates of zinc above, and warme
by hot water pipes below. The bottom o
, the cages are strewed with sand and gravel
: and in those which contain the larger ser
: pents strong branches of trees are fixed. Th
! advantage of the plate glass fronts is obvi
Gus, for every movement of the reptile /
f distinctly seen, while its great strength con
fines them in perfect safety. Each cage
, moreover, provided with pan Of water.
; Except when reused by hunger, the ser
: pents are generally in state of torpor dur
, ing the day, but as night draws on, they, ii
, common with other wild denizens of the for
; ests are reused into activity. In their nativ
, state, the boas then lie in wait, coiled roun'
) the brances of trees, ready to spring upo'
: the antelopes and other prey as they pas
through the leafy glades and the smalie
serpents silently glide from branch to branc
: in quest Of birds on which TO feed. As WI
have had the opportunity Of seeing tn
reptile-house by night, we will describe tn
; strange scene.
, About ten O'Clock one evening during th'
} last spring, in company with two naturalist
, of eminence, we entered that apartment. 4
small lantern was our only light ard ard ~ ~.
faint illumination of this impaired ghastl,
. character 10 the scene before us. The clea
) plate-glass which faces the cages was invis
, ible, and it was difficult to believe that tn
monsters were in confinement and the spec
, Itator secure. Those persons who have onl
5 seen the boas and pythons, the rattlesnake
3 and cobras, lazily hanging in festoons from
{ the fork Of the trees in the dens, or sluggish
. ly coiled up, can have no conception of tn
: appearance and actions Of the same creature
, at night The huge boas and Pythons wer
: chasing each other in every direction, whisk
ing about the dens with the rapidity Of light
, ning, sometimes clinging in huge coils roun'
l the branches, anon entwining each other
massive folds. then separating, they woul
5 rush over and under the branches, kissing
and lashing their tails in hideous sport. Eve
! and anon. thirsty with their exertions, the
would approach the pans containing waite
) and drink eagerly, tapping it with their fork
5 ed tongues. As our eyes became accustom
ed to the darkness, we perceived objects bet
2 ter, and on the uppermost branch Of the tire
, in the den of the biggest serpent, we per
: ceived pigeon quietly roosting, apParenti
I Indifferent alike to the turmoil which was 60
; ling on around, and the vicinity OF the mon
ster whose meal it was soon to form. In tn
den Of one of the smaller serPents was i'tti
{ t--o,so u,hoso m nt;no sides and fast Dedtln