Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-11-24
q N 7lr--7TI1T II h E-IITI7T- -
noaApARrE AND THE syAKr-c.rcurn

| Is.
When the great Napoleon was in Egypt,
he determined to ascertain as much as posi-
bic about the habits and customs &C the peo-
pie :; aud amongst the rest, interested himself
IN the practice so common among the Eryp-
tinrs, Of understanding or catching One
dav he sent for one Of these snake-caichers.
and said u him, by means Of his interpreter.
There is a serpent in this house: II you find
it, you shall have two sequins for yolrself,
and two for your men
The man having prostratod himself called
for two buckets of water. As soon as they
were brought, he undressed himself, then FL
! ling bis month with water and creeping on
| his belly like The reptile he sought squitted
| It through hi5 teeth. so as to initiate tie his
| sing Of n serpent. Having crept in this man
ner through the ground floor, he placed him.
self before Napoleon. and said. with savage
laugh, "Mafche = "Maiche :" which means.
| there is none The General also laughed,
and said al ow is this Is the fellow, in good
earnest. able TO tell ?" He then ordered the
interpreter TO explain clearly that the reptile
had been seen. Il know it," replied the lel.
low; 81 smelt him as ! entered the house"
Here we are" said the General-in-chier. "the
acting is now going TO begin. Well let the
serpent appear aud will give thee two So.
| quinS more"
| The man Immediately recommended creen-
| ing. and squrted water On all sides. lie as.
cended, in the same manner, Il staircase lead.
ing to an upper story, occupied hy Bourrien-
| ne. A long dark corridor opened into sever.
! al apartments. 1t was lighted by sky.light
at the further end, which gave view OF the
country and at the bottom Of this skv-lieht
was placed the water-luuntain, this spot be-
lng the coolest in the house. The opeDinr
itself was sufficiently large to give, from the
OF hgr extremity Of The corridor. view of the
beau tiril blue Egyrtian sky. On attaining
the iandngplace of this corridor the .iuggler
paused aud betrayed emotion. lie was
closely Followed by the Gcnera-in-chief and
u number Of officers, attracted by curOsitv.-
The General did not lose sight of the fellow
an instant. md was determined if he discor.
cred the Ieus trick to take him in the act
On seeing him sludder and close his ewes.
Thy man is beginning his part" said the
General 10 Junot And, in truth, the snake
catcher was in n most extraordinary state
lIabtually pale, as all swarty skins are, he
became every monen ut pacr, lie called for
more water, washed MS body, squricd and
hissed as before, but produced another kind
Of Kissing. He looked on each side of the
landing place, made a 5 ign with his hand TO
keep silent, and, still creeping upon bis belly,
advanced TO the right side of the corridor,
which was the darkest par, oft In d short
tine after squirting his mo1th!ul Of water.
he exclaimed, in u low tone. There lac is ~
Il should he delighted to do him the honor
Of hospitality" said the GenerGl-in-cher--
But, my friend, suspect thou art laughing
at MS. Do you know that this rascal withhis
Kissing has been making fools Of us FOR the
last hunr, in forcing us to run, without NM
h!rilaS, after his imaginary serpent y The
snakc-catchcr continued to hiss and Creep.--
On a suddeu. hldcl; and round bohv, resem.
bling the branch Of the tree, appeared in re-
lief upon the pure azure, which was visible
through the sky-lght. ii was handsome
serpent, real alive, and abou; six feet long
At this sight. the fellow rCduub.ud his Kissing
and squrtng and the serpent, after uucoiI-
ing itself from around the fountain. hisscd in
its turn, but it, note was much more pier
cling,
The eyes OF the reptile shono, in this som.
brc corridor, with blood-colured fame. 1t
| glJed along the fountain, and stopped then
It slight noise was heard; it was the reptile
rising upor its tail. The snake catcher could
not do the same, hecause he had no tail but
he raised himself half up, and made a slight
motion. In an instant, the reptile darted at
| him. He was waiting for this attack and
at the very moment it was made. caught the
animal with one hand round the throat, which
| he squeezed with such violence as to force
open lis mouth, INTO which he sDat. The ef-
feet was magical the reptile seemed to have
/ received its death blow The man afterwards
extracted its fanEs, or rather the venom con-
tanned in small vesicles attached to It's jaws.
He then played with it, made ii dance, aal
/ put il round bis neck. The saake-catcLsr"
said Napoleon, lis lucky chayiatan."