The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-05-05

ISP'Ho 'e'' Hhu ultbPneNoQ' ne lay
down on the floor and placing hia face
close to the hole. exclaimed, 'RprTa sap;
1abit bahu. burrH.' (Aig snake, your
honor, very big. Without any moro
preparation, he cammSnced digging
round the hole, and removed some Of
the brick work. In few minutes hS
showed US the tail Of the reptile, and
with Sundry incantatIons in Hindostsnee
and curious coltOFtions oi his body,
seized hold Of tho tail, and gradually
drew forth the snake. 1t proved to hO
n fine specimen Of the cohrR-s black
shining, wriggling Kissing deadly cob
ra, about five feet long, OF the thickest
part, eight inches round. with a hood
measuring. when extended. FIVE inches
across. This reptile he handled freely.
while il was Kissing and dsrting itS
tongue out every second,
Taking it into the yard or compound.
ho released it. The brute wriggled To-.
wards him, and when within foot or
so it Iroared itself up, spread out the
enormous hood, aud prepared itself to
strike at its captOr But the charmer
was not to be soundsd. He seized his
prima'ive musical instrument, and com.
weRced very slowly to produce low and
soft tunes, very harmonious, but uncou.
nacted. The snake seemed astoniHhed;
his hood gradually collapsed, his head
and about foot oihiS body, that vas
raised from the ground. commenced to
sway fEoR side 10 side 10 perfect harmo.
ny with the music, and slower and
quicker as the time wos increased or Dc.
creased. As the man played louder the
snake got more excited, until its rapid
aud unusual movements had quite OK.
haastsd il, and il subsidized.
Agnia the chagmer seized il, and
quick as lightpiRg 'sn his hand up its
body holding it firmly by lAe thloat.-
BY pressing on its neck, the sobra's
mouth opened. and he disclosed the
fang', poison bags, and apparatus com.
Plete; thus proving beyond o doubt that
j, vas not trained or tanned reptile he
had been treating like plsythiqg,
Doubts still arose ip my mind, howsv.
er, about the genuineness of the peIfor.
nance, for could no, bring myself to
believe that maa would willingly place
himself in such close proximity 10 Ger
tan death.
A fowl was now obtained and placed
about a foot from the reptile, which was
again set free. With the same move
msn,S it raised itsell Q foo. from the
gFORnl SpEead opt iT hood, and With q
loud hiss, appatenly of satisfaction.
dar,ed upon and seiz1d the foBl by the
oack Of the neck. Hanging there for
few seconds, ,let 60 its hold, and the
man at the same instant seized it, as he
had formerly done, by the head. The
fowl alHQst instantly became drowsy. its
head falling forward. and the beak stit.
ing with copsidTablO fofoe into the
ground. This convplsive movement
lasted ten seconds, and then the bird
lay down as if completely comatose and
powerleGs. In fifteen seconds it gave
Sudden start, qpd fell back quite dead.
'Vhn ,G tie IGtst timo I had witnessed
death from snake bite, and il is un.
.ques'iouably u sudden, quiet and over
towering poison.
As no deception could have been
PrGcticed in this Instance. was most
anxious toaee'the reptile killed; but the
charmer said he would not have II des.
!royed; that lift were injured the power
he had over snakes would be ipterfered
with. and the next would no doubt bite
and kill him. He accounted for his easy
capture by saying that this was q groat
holiday for The 6pakeH, and ,lhey had
been enjoying themselves. "This one"
9!Rid he' is pot living in this house. He
has ,cpue from his own homo visiting,
and rhRs lost his way. On this account
lhe got down wrong hole. and was
enabled to bring him out. Nasty neigh.
bOrs and abomipable visitors, these SOB,
ras! | viii take this snake home, and
feed him, and make him tame.
However. we insisledppop seeing ,hiE
ETrade harmless. or comparatively SO, and
directed the man 10 remove bis faDgs.-
This he ogrOed 10 do, and performed it
in this manHer-a piece Of wood an inch
square, and held by the chsrmer 10 the
head Of the snake. The reptile seized
it as hc had done the fowl, and with
dsItcri0us twist Of bis band the ,p,imi-
performance Of .deptistfy was iCcOm.
Plishod. The four fauss sticking into
,the wood were extracted and given to
ne. | have them noV. and look upon
.Shep 40 noEe spicidjpally plessau. than
apiR:. Of REp9lie acid or q ,cask Of SbiIc
atsenic. VIZ
Another iOwl yas ,pow brought and
attacked by the snake as before, but
,RithOpt any effect; II shook itself, rus.