The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-03-31

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oy the native iugglers at their exbi-
oItIons, but dared not lift ny head
Inc snaks lowered its scsiy crest.
then, lnelining away from mo bv ~
Z grees, as the masic proceeded ,n~r
ed fairly round, its tail once r,oro
more twisting about my feet A. i
retreated Again it raised its terri
bic head, no longer fronting me, but
intently listening to the symphony;
no longer kissing, but uttering a
strange noise, ike the suppressed
eluck Of hen; and thus, sweeping
with slow, yet stately, zig gag mo
ton, it glided Onwards to the spot
whence the music issued.
"Up, now, dear Rob-" cried George
Halse, and attempting to rise. / fell
back in bis arms 1 must tell the
truth fainted,
When | came to myself, / found
that in addition 10 Halse, | had
three other attendants; nor could
at first collect my senses sufficiently
to understand my position. A loud
hiss, then a series of sibillatiOns from
three or four covered baskets Of
plated grass, explained the mystery.
They belonged. these snake repOsi-
tories, to two celebrated snake charm
ers; and to them, under Providence,
| owed nv life Halse told me that
getting anxious about me, and tired
Of his load Of game, he was leaving
the jungle, when he met a native,
who willingly undertook to carry bis
gamebag Asking him if be had
seen a white gentleman, the man re-
pied IN the negative.-he had only
seen two persons. snake-catchers, who
had come from Madras to collect ser
pents, and be had left them not far
of, near some fields Of gunny.
Anxious to watch their proceed
ings," continued Halse, Il requested
the fellow to lead me TO them. and
we soon came up to whore they were
still repo sing. They tod me they
were going TO the other end Of the
field, to an abandoned ant-hill, which
they knew to be the abode Of a large
eobra-di-eapellO, and offered to ex-
hibit their proceedings if l promised
them a bukShiShi OF course the
douceur was promieed, and OF we
set. Picture my alarm and surprise
at reaching this place, to behold you
almost enveloped in the folds Of the
terrific reptile; nor were nv compan-
ions free from apprehensions for
your safety. You had laid down
close to the mouth Of the creatures
den. We knew not what il would
do, but 6 single movement on yeur
part must have reused its vengeance.
The jugglers behaved admirably i
wanted 10 Ere at it, but they dis
suaded me, and assured me. that they
had hopes Of not only wiling the
snake by the sounds Of their pipe
from your side; but Of eventually
capturing it, They were right; the
creature is in one of those cages;
though not from it, but from some Of
its race, rendered less dangerous by
the extraction Of their fangs, proceeds
that charming chorus Of Kisses. 1t
was a beautiful sight to see the
venOmous thing move By the inHu-
ence Of the music, unwind the v0lu-
minous coils that ringed it and leav-
ing its hazardous perusals Of your
face, turn from you to seek its de-
struction, As it ueared them, the
charmers sprinkling some strong
scented powder on a heap OF wither-
ed leaves to which they set Ere, con-
tinued to play, concealed behind TIE
bushes; bat the snake, as if dOubly
fascinated by the incense and tue
music. relaxed its movements, and in
moment after, lowering its crest,
sank intoxicated on the ground. In
another instant, lifeless TO all ap-
pearance, it was seized and basketed;
and there again returned 70 con-
sciousness, it awaits the moment
when, no doubt, its crafty captOrs
will deprive it Of It's hidden armOry
of Eenomous iangs. How they
achieve this process they refuse 10
tell, but we owe them more than
thanks, and / have told them TO visit
the camp this evening"
need not say that ample was the
gift the worthy jugg!ers received
from US: nor can it be necessary to
add that as retired to bed that
night, feryent were my prayers Of
thankfulness to Him who, at the
hour of EXTREMIST peril, had sent me
rescue. But ever since then, / have
more than is customary with even
the most timid female, continued to
experience a cowardly fear ofreptiles.