The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-02-15
Interview with Arab snake
Chnrulcra.

.ra...H... AiAasAENNhcEAs ... I....HI
In a recent volume entitled Life in tho
Desert, occurs this remarkable chapter.
Tbcso performers consisted of seven
Boni-Schnidad Arabs from Ainad, town
| lying one hundred aud three leagues to
the cast of March. Six Of them were
PLAYING flutes whom we came up but on
being requested by Aou Bckrel.3rand to
exhibit thcir serpents 10 ns, they consent
cd with alaoriy, ~ ~.
| Having made their arrangements, all
seven commenced by putting up their
| hands as if holding books, while they
murmurcd Ia concert prayer addressed
! 10 Sidha Assor, tho patron Of snake-char-
| mcrs. This invocation finished, the six
! musicians took thoir flutes and began
TO playA-thu chief charmer spinning with
1 great velocity IN o kind Of wild dance,
round the rahn.lef basket ,vered with
goatskin, IN which the serpents wero
placed.
ing his haud into the basket, drew out Of
it an asp, or bWSkd, when lie whirlod about
twinng and uutwiniug 1t, until it looked
like a band Of grceuish yellow silk. lie
then wroathod th0 serpent round his head
} like turban, danciug oil tho time, while
the reptile rcn,aiued'whero hehad placed il,
appearing TO accommodate itself TO the
movements and will of the dancer
The asp was thenplaced upon the ground,
from which il reared itself perpendicular
| ly-the position Of attaok taken by il
1, when its haunts are Misunderstanding its
body from right to left, in time with the
music Of tho flutes.
} Then .hc dancer, Wheeling more and
| more rapidly in diminishing circles, again
plunged his hand into the basket, AMI
: again drew from it successively four
, horned vipers, or tefttGs. These reptiles
= livelier and less Aocile than the asp, kept
themselves hall coiled, with their hea Is
P slantcd forward, ready TO strike, as they
I followed, with cleaning eyes, the motions
I. of tho charmer, on whom they darted with
: omen laws, when he came within reach
i launching their bodies with wonderful
e swiitness, while the tails appeared as i
}, fixed to the ground, and then again wind
s. ing themselves into coils. ~
C The dancer parted gith his abbaye These
IS assaults upon his bare legs, the vipert
., appearing to pregnate the garment will
|. their venom. lie thon seized one OF then
IS behind the head, dancing round and round
" aud calling ina loud voice upon his pat
/. ron saint.
L.. Opening the powerful elastic java Q
Q, the reptile with stick he showed us II
c. fangs, from which oozed whitish, oily
10 substance. Then he held his arm near th
1t snake, which struck him Immediately, an
he redoubed his contortions, as il in agon
le of pain, calling al the time upon Stdu
or Asser, the reptile still continuing to strike
or until lie withdrew his arm and showed u
Is the blood trickling from It, -.
er Replacing the viper on the ground
IS the charmer now applied his lips to til
wound, squeezing it between his teetl
I'd and still Keeping up the dance, while III
is flutes went faster and faster, until at lcngi
" he stopped from sheer tx taustion.
k, Asl was confident that this man was o
arrant hggler, aud that the poison ha
NJ been extracted from tho reptile, ! aske
c- him to let mo handle it, dg, -gR g .t.'
m art thou serpent-churmerS' asked Il
or Beni.Sehidad: ""hast thnn iaith-inplicit
in the power of Sidna Asserg"
ok Neither the ono nor the other, repli(
*. |. - s5f pr..
as should the serpent strike The, then tl
en- hour has come, rejVned he. Brin
IN, hithcr hen, or some other living animi
ct aud will prove the truth ofmy words.
NJ Unfortunately for itself, wretciied c.
iii happened to be at hand. 1t was brougl
an to the charIner, who caused the viper
strike il; immediately after which tho po'
- puss fell intu uconyulsions, which lasted Il
ly q few minutes, staggered about for n m
mciIt, and tIien full, stiff aud dead, SOC
ha alter which lis hose and eyes assumed
I'M blucish hue. "a, f.e. W rvs. ID.
er need scarcely add that this experime
re. cured me OF my 'dcsie to play with Il
SIS horned viper. i'-
OF these facts | speak from ocular c
nd peiienceSblt although have Investigate
Ter tho matter closely have never yet M