Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-07-25
CLEARFIELD TUESDAY, JULY 25, 1854.

stranger like the rest. But the cobra darted
at his chin, and bit it, N king two marks like
pin points. The poor juggler was sobered in
an instant. 81 am dead man 20 he exclaim-
the N antenance ofhis professionalInysticsm
thing Of no moment. ssLet the creature
a1one,'' said he to those about him. who would
have killed the cobrl; ssit my be of service
to others Of my trade. To M ii can BE- Of no
more use. Nothing cln save me- His pro
Iessional knowledge was but too accurate. In
two hours he was corpse!
s,w him short time after he died. His
friends and brother jugglers had gathered
around him, and had him placed on a chair in
a sitting position. Seeing the detrment like
ly to result to their trade and interests from
such notion, they vehemently asserted that
it was not the envenomed bite which had kill
ed him. ssNo, no he only forgot one little
word-one small portion of the charm" In
fact tn ~ d,cllr.d that he was not dead at all.
but only in sort Of swoon from which. accord
ing to the rules of the clbalstic art, he would
recover in seven DAYS But the officers of the
barracks, close to which the deceased had liv
ed, interfered in the matter. They put
guard of one or two men on the house, declar
ing tn 1t they would allow the body to remain
unburied for seven days, but would not permit
any triekeyy. OF course the poor serpent
charmer never came to life again. His death,
and the manner of it, gave severe blow, as
has been already limited, to the art and prac-
~,
Snake charming is not confined to India
There some of the natives of Africa and
America, who possess the powea Of what is
called charming or producing a benumbing
or Supplying effect on poisonous serpen;s and
scorpions, by handling them. This power is
in some natural and here iitlry, while in 9TH
evs it is ac Iuired by chewing the roots or 9TH
er parts of certain plants, rubbing them in
their hands, or bathing their bodies in water
containing an infusion of them. In that part
of Africa which lies northward of the great
desert of Sahara, there was formerly tribe
allied thesPsylli, who seem to have possessed
this power, either from nature or art. in de-
gree that occ ,siOned the name OF Psylli to be
given to all persons capable OF producing sim
liar effects. Plut lrch informs us that Cato,
in his march through the desert, took with him
a number of these Psylli, to suck out the poi
from the wounds Of such of his soldiers
as might be bitten by the numerous serpents
which infested that region. 1t was then igno-
rintly believed that this power of subduing
the poison was the effect Of magic, and the
Psylli, to confirm this belief, always. when in
the ex ,rcse of this fsscina ion ,muttercd spells
or chantai verses over the person whom they
Were in the act OF curing. NJ any have ven
tur>d to doubt the existence OF the power be-
ing poss .ssed by any class of people, but the
concurrent testimony of the best accredited
tr " .Il4rs seem 10 confirm the fact. Mr.. Bruce
distinctly states, from minnie personal obscr-
vation. that all the blacks in the kingdom of
Seminar are perfectly armed by nature against
the bite of either scorpion or viper.
They take the horned snaSe-therc the most
common, and one of the most fatal OF the vi
per tribe-in their hands at all times, put
them in their bosoms, and throw them at each
other, as children do apples and balls, during
which sport the serpents are seldom irritrted
to bite, and if they do, mischief ensues
from the wound The Arabs Of the SINE
country he observes, have not by nature this
protective power, but generally acquire it, by
the use OF certain plants. The artificial means
of rendering the person invulnerible to the
bite of snakes, seems also to be practSed in
South America.
1t is slid that the cobra is fond of milk, and
that knowledge OF this fact has sometimes
saved the lives of persons who were on the
point of being bitten. An anecdote is re-
lated of party of gentlemen sitting at table
in India, when one Of them felt a cobra coil
ing itstlf round his leg Appalled, at his stu-
alton, he desired his companions, in whisper,
not to speak make any noise, if they would
save his life. All were immedi ,tely silent
He next, in a low tone, requested servant to
bring jug OF milk, and pour it cautiously on
the floor near his foot. This being done, the
cobra in a short time uncOled its If, and de-
sceni I'd to partake of the milk, when, may
be suppos I'd, little ceremony used in d es-
patching it. An exemption from reptiles OF
this deadly cl ,ss is surely of England's
greatest blessings.
CO Show us lady's bonnet, and we will
tell you what sort OF institution she is
Ii it is s.Iowered over with ribbons, cupids,
4