Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-07-16
THE SNAKE CATCHER.

; Egypt be determined to ascertain
as much as possible about the habits
and customs of the people,and among
!, the rest, interested himself 10 ths
practice so common among the Egyp
tians, of snake charming or suakt
Catching. One day he sent for one
of these snake catchers, and said te
him, by means of his interpreter
There is a serpent in this house; il
I you will find it you shall have two
sequins for yourself and two fol
your men J!
4 The man having prostrated him
self, called for two buckets Of water.
As soon as they were brought, he
undressed himself, then filling his
mouth with water, and creeping on
bis belly like the serpent, he squirt
ed it through bis teeth, SO as to imi-
tate the kissing of the serpent
Having crept in this manner through
the ground floor, he placed himself
before Napoleon aud said, with a saw
age laugh, ~Mafcebe, Maficebe," !"
which means ''there is one, The
General laughed. and said, "how is
/ this? Is the fellow in good earnest,
able to tell?'' He .hen ordered The
interpreter 10 explain clearly that
the reptile had been seen.
Il know it,, replied the fellow, 81
smelt il as soon as ] entered the
house" "Here wa are" said the
General in Chief, "the acting is now
going to begin. WelL let the ser
pent appear and here are two sequins
more.
The man recommended creeping,
and squirting water on all sides -
He ascended in the same manner, a
staircase leading to the upper story,
occupied by Bourrienne. A long
dark corridor opened into several
apartments 1t twas lighted by a sky
light at the further end, which gave
a view Of the country, and at the bot
tom of the skylight was placed the
fountain, this spot being the coolest
! in the house. The opening itself was
sufficiently large to give. from the
other extremity of the corridor, a
view ofthe beautiful Egyptian sky.
On attaining the landing place of the
corridor, the juggler paused, and be.
trayed emotion. He WAS closely fol-
lowed by the General,in Chief and q
number OF officers attracted by curl
1 osity. The General did not lose
sight of the fellow for an instant, and
was determined, if be discovered the
least trick, to take him in the act
On seeing him shudder and close his
eyes,"the manis beginning his part, :
said the General to Junot. And in
/ truth, the snake catcher was in a
most extraordinary state. Habltu-
ally pale, as all swarthy skins are,
! he became every moment paler. He
called for more water, washed his body
Y. sauirted and hissed as before, but
produced another kind of hissing.-
He looked on each side Of the landing
place. and, still creeping on his belly,
advanced to the outside corridor,
which was the darkest part oft.
In short time, after squirting his
mouthful of water, he exclaimed. in
q low tone, There be ISL 81 should
delighted to do him the honor of hos.
pitaIlty," said the General-in- Chief,
But my friend, suspect you nre
laughing at us. Do you know that this
rascal, With Kissing, has been making
fools of US for the last hour, in forcing
us to run. without umbrellas, after
the imaginary serpent?'
The snake-catcher continued to
hiss and creep. On sudden, black
and round body, resembling the
branch of tree, appeared in relief
upon the pure azure. which was Slsl'
Bile through the skylight. It was q
handsome serpent, the fellow redoub'
led his kissing and squirting, and the
serpent after uncoiling itself from a.
round the fountain. hissec in its turn
It's note was much more piercing
The eyes Of the reptile cleaned IL
the sombre corridor. with . blood-col
ored fame. Itglided along the fountain
, and stoppe Z, ,-then slight noise wal
heard, it was the reptile raising uP 1T
tail, The snake catcher could no
!, do the same because he bad DO tall
but he raised himself up and made
\. a.. H. -.o uoStSpr tn