Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-11-11

content III they can only show their feilow-
mortals their mystical powers and gain
living. On the occasion of which write,
sort OF grand stand, composed OF wood
en- steps, arranged one above the other,
had been erected, from which to view the
operation OF charming the snakes.
Mungul Deem, the charmer, was fat,
miidle-aged man, with intellectual coun-
tenance and sparkling eye. He wore a
mustache, but no beard, which seems TO
be peculiarly affected by the Mohammed-
ans. Mungul had the light, copper-colored
complexion which obtains among the ma
tiyes OF the Upper Puniaub, in strong con-
trast 10 the coal black hue Of the natives
of Lower Bengal His dress was freely
decorated with all sorts Of signs, includ-
ing snakes OF every form and size, was OF
white linen and scrupulously well adj
Iusted, from the becoming turban down
ward.
Everything being pronounced ready by
Mungul he first lighted a small fire, into
which he threw something which flashed
up with blue blaze, and the fire was al
lowed quickly TO die out. He then went
fearlessly al over the snake infested
ground, distributing as he walked some
sort Of powder, the nature Of which was
known only 70 himself; after which he
seated himself on terra firusa, singing the
inevitable "tum-tum'' around his neck
and holding an instrument in his hand
which emitted sound when played upon
very much like that Of bag pipe. The
spectators, who were natives, except my
self and two gentlemen, named Harrison
and Ball, who were travelling in India Tor
their pleasure, showed their appreciation
| Of the music by occasional bowls Of de-
| light Mungul consecrated his instru-
meDts, throwing up his arms, and then
began his music with wild, discordant
air Not snake had been seen as yet,
but ar soon as what / may call the con.
cert had fairly opened snakes swarmed
| from all sides with heads erect and hoods
| expanded. After awhile large concourse
| Of snakes, some hundreds in number,
could be seen twisting and turning on
| their tails TO where Mungul Deem sat tnm-
cumming and piping as unconcerned as
| if he were receiving visits from the doves
Of paradise instead Of the deadly enemies
Of mankind. The only change noticea--
| bic in him was that he moved his head
continually. h ii salsa.aiag 70 the snakes.
| AT last, when a very large company Of
cobras was gathered round the magician,
and many an anxious fear was expressed
| by the lookers-on lest he should be stung
10 death, ii was apparent that he very per
ceptibly changed the strain Of his rude
music from the wild, discordant sound
which had marked it TO rather plaintiye
air, which thought his instrument in
capable of producing, judging from the
previous performance.
Everyone now noticed that the snakes
were, in military phraseology, " changing
front 10 the rear upon the center" by turn
ing round upon their tails, with heads
down, and, on their bellies, winding back,
as If intent on reaching their holes as fast
as they had come from them. In SO doing
their mouths came, or seemed To come, in
contact with the powder which Mungul
Deem had previously scattered, and, as it
seemed, on tasting ii they immediately
gave up the ghost, in whatever part OF the
| field they CHANGED 10 be.
The snake-charmer continued his piping
for some time, after which he performed a
dance that would have done honor TO the
Dervishes. This dance lasted about fif.
teen minutes, during which Mungul kept
at first slowly moving his body in a circle,
until the movement and excitement Of the
dancer seemed to grow intense. His arms
WtFG Tdtscu anu lOWbTtu lib Hchu SWhtei
to and fro as if II would come off, and at
last he fell to the ground, apparently in a
state OF complete exhaustion. This was
not 20, however, for upon an attendant adj
miHistering some potion from cup he
stood up and declared the battle won and
himself unscathed
The spectators then descended from their
rostrum, and can testify, as one of the
party, that on inspection that ground was
found TO be well covered with the carcasses
of dead cobras, the most deadly Of the
genus hydra. / learned, some time after
ward, that the owner Of the land, Mean
Raj, was no more troubled by his former
plague In fact, was so well content that
he had rewarded Mungul Deem literally
while his servants no more refused TO till
the ground where the Indian snake.
charmer had charmed so wisely and SO
we'll .--Edoia Wyndlsam L.org, in ". Y