Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-08-28
AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF NAPO-
LEON
TIE SNAKE CATCHER.


When the great Napoleon was in Egypt.
he determined to ascertain as much as pos
fslble about the habits and customs of the
people, and among the rest. interested, ,hi...--
Egyptians, of snake-charming or snake
catching. One day lie sent for one of these
snake-catchers, and said to him, by means
of his Interpreter, s.There is a serpent IN
this house; if you find it, you shall have
two sequ;ns for yourself, and two for your
men.
The man having prostrated himself, call
ed for two buckets Of water. As soon as
they were brought, he undressed himself,
then filing his mouth with water, and creep
ing on his belly like the reptile he sought,
squirted it through his teeth, so as to imi-
tate the Kissing of aserpent. Having crept
in this manner through the ground-four,
he placed himself before Napoleon, and said,
with a savage laugh, "Mafche, Mafiche !"
which means, ''there is one" The Gene
raj also laughed, and said, Chow 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. 'I
know it," replied the fellow, Il smelt him
as entered the House" Here we are, -
said the General-in-C Chief, ''the acting is
now going to begin. Well let the serpent
appear, and [ will give thee two sequins
more.
The man Immediately recommended
creeping, and squirted water on all Sides
He assembled in the same manner a staircase
leading to an upper story, occupied by
Bourrienne A long dark corridor opened
into several apartments. 1t was lighted by
a skylight at the further end, which gave a
view of the country, and at the bottom Of
the skyight was placed the water fountain,
this spot being the coolest in the house,
The opening itself was sufficiently large tC
give, from the other extremity Of the corri
dor, view of the beautiful blue Egyptian
; sky. On attaining the landing place of thi'
corridor the juggler paused, and betrayed
emotion. He was closely followed by the
, General-in-C Chief and number of officers
attracted by curiosity. The General die
not lose sig ght of the fellow an instant, an(
was determined, if he discovered the leas
trick, to take him in the act On seeing
him shudder and close his eyes, 1.-The MAJ
l Is beginning his part, sald Neneral U
Junot. And in truth, the snake-catche
: was in the most extraordinary state. Ha
bitually pale, as all swarthy skins are, h
0 became every moment paler. He called 70
e more water, washed his body, squirted an
: hissed as before, but produced another kim
e of kissing.
: He looked on each side of the landing
IS place, made a sign with his hand to keep 81
e lent, and, still creeping upon his belly, ad
e vanced to the outside corridor, which wa
1t the darkest part Of it. In short time, al
d ter squirting his mouthful of water, he ex
5. claimed, in low tone, EsThere he is % *
ID should be delighted to do him the honor {
g hospitality" said the General-in-C Chief. :
But my friend, | suspect thou art laugf
ing at US. Do you know that this rasca
y with Kissing, has been making fools of I
for the last hour, in forcing us to run, Will