The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-01-14
Story of q Snake Charmer,

2 =
who had the reputation Of being a
snake eharmer, and was then at the
Gaboou, had succeeded in capturing
oue Of these large uaja. lie was a
bold man, and pridcd himselfou new
er being afraid of any snake, howev.
er yeucmous toe reptile might bc
nay, not only was he not afraid of
any Of them, but he would fight with
any Of them, and get hold of them.
had often seen him handle snakes
in his hands. lie was careful, Of
course to hold them just by the neck
below thehead in such a manner that
the headcould not turn itself aud
bite him.
That day he brought into large
open place, perfectly bare ol grass,
one Of these wild uaja, that he had
just captured, and was amusing him.
self by teasing the horrid aud loath-
some creature when l arrived. 1t
was huge one
Most Of the people of the village
had fed, and those natives who like
myself were looking on, kept a long
way off. Not a Mopongwe man. not
u single inhabitant of the whole re
giou l have explored, would have ev-
er dared to do what the Cores man
did.
Two or three times, as the snake
erSwled on the ground, we made off
in the opposite direction with the ut.
most speed, myself, am afraid, lead
ing of in general stampede though
l had provided myself with a gun.
1t was perfcctly fearful, perfectly
horrid and appalling, to see that man
making a plaything Of this monster;
laughing, as We may say. at death,
for it could be nothing else, l
thought.
At frst whcnI saw him he had
the snake around his body, but he
held 1t firmly just below tho neck,
aud | could see by the muscles of his
arm that he had to use great strength.
AS long as this part of the body is
held firmly the snake loses much of
it's great power of crushing one to
death, as the boa-coustrictor or py.
thou does with larger animals, and
as small snakss do with smaller
game; but with this naja the danger
would have been the venomous bite.
Then with his other hand he took
the tail of the snake, and gave it d
swing and gradually unfoldcd the
reptile from his black body, which
was warm and shining with excite>
ment, but always holding tho head
On sudden he threw the snake on
the ground Then the creature be-
gan to crawl away, when suddenly
the Goree man came in font OF it
with a light stick aud instantly the
monster erected itself almost to h alf
its length, gave a tremendous whis-
tie, which we all heard, looked glar.
iugly and fercely in the mans face
with its sharp, pointed tongue out,
and then stood still as If it could not
move. The Goroe man, with his lit.
tie stick in his left hand, touched it
lightly, as though to tease it. 1t
was a fearful sight-and if he had
been near enough, the snake woul .,
no doubt, have sprung upon its an-
tagonist. The man, as he tcased and
infuriated the snake with the rod he
held in his left hand, drew the atten.
ton of the reptile toward the stick
then suddenly and in the wink of an
eye, almost as quick as lightning,
with his right hand he got hold Of
the creature just under his head.
The same thing that have just
described again took place. The
snake folded itself roupd his body
then he unfolded the snake, which
was once more let loose, and, now
t his horrid serpent got so infuriatsd
that as soon as he was thrown upon
the ground he erected himself; and
the glare of his eyes WAS something
terrific. 1t was indeed an appalling
scene the air around seemed to be
filled with the whistling sonud of the
creature.
Alas a moro terrible scene soon
took place The man became bolder
and bolder, more aud more careless,
and the snake probably more and
more accustomed to the mode of war.
fare of his antagonist, and just as
the monster stood erect the man nt-
tempted to seize its neck as he had
done many and many time before,
but grasped the body too low, and be-
fore he had time to let it go, the head
turned itself and the man was bit-
ten l was perfectly speechless aud
the scene had frozen my blood, and
the wild shrieks Of those around rent
the air. The serpent was loose and
crawling on the ground, but before
it had time to 60 far, a long pole
came down upon his back and broke
its spine, and in less time than take
TO write it down the monster was
killed.
TO the French doctor, who had
charge of the little colony, the man
went (happily he was just at hand). /
all the remedies we're prompt aud
powerful; tho man suffer ed intensely
his body became swollen, his MIND
wandered, aud hts life was despaired
of, but at last lie got better, and
though complaining of great pain
near the heart, lie was soon able to
go out again. a short time after
this accident, having an AK in his
hand, going as he said to cut wood,
he suddenly split his head ia two.-
He had become insane
~ say Tumas," remarked an in
nuiring spirit, what breed do you
call that dawg Of yours p "Well,"
said Thomas, she's two breeds, PIN