The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-27
DEADLY SNAKES OF INDIA.
nov THE NITIVES HANDLE THE
MONSTER SERPENJS.
The PcriIs through which the IIindoes Piss
TuciiinR n Python FooliuR with Cobra -
Russell snakes aud Other Reptiles.

TacisiinR Python Pooling with n Cobra
Russell snakes mud Other Reptiles.
CanHtn Correspondence orMe Lopd0n 7e,cJyqDs.
Bear in mind that no make chnrmcr was
present, that neither pipe nor whistle WIS used.
IN every III Re hnl ~ Lutson mss or teeth in
canita order. ana THAT no means save tho mar
velous skll 4 the tive oper tors was en-
ployed IN the eX n t1n which followed, sd
YOU will have good idea IT the pcri rough
wbtch those HtndOos passed. l. early la
the mormng--nut however. before the IN kcs,
which we're In rie- of wire covered boxes,
were awake and hvcly--that we were shnwninto
a stone 1oored room sons twenty feet long and
twelve broad. In the boxes were the sirongeat
and dcadliest snakes IN India-pythons. ophto-
others. The HlujOOs who h I'd charge of them
we're two slim wiry little men, nude to the waist.
IA most OF their couutrymen are. They wore
aud bad no In trumept Of any kind in
the place. After showing the varied col
lection under their care, they proceeded to
open the python case, and one " them, putting
b hand In. sclz ID a mon ter serpent aud threw
him upon tire floor close to our feet The hon
objected to such treatment, and BEGAN u hiss,
making at the same time a vigorous effort to
rise. But the snake keeper was waiting for this.
and no sooner old that huge shining back begin
20 curve than the keeper nut Out his hand. and,
SELLING the creatures tail. pulled IL back with .
Jerk Instantly tue pvthun was powericSs hiss
ing. but unable to move. the more he struggled
the more ten iciousk did the keeppr huld his
tail. eNplatning meanwhile that go long ~ tue
repUlc was controlled IN tnat fashion there was
no danger Of Its doing mischief; then. Just M
iis rage was becoming unguvctuahlo, the man
"
similar manner. ana Slapped and hureted till
Throughout it, entire longth, somo twelve feet.
II quiVered with passion, but all 70 no purpose
II, too was present., replaced la the cage, and
shut M to hiss al leisure.
The fact TINT an ophiophnnua Il In the Re-
gents Park Geological Gnrdens rendered the
next eNhihiton more interesting, although It
may he doubted whether the throwing into 10
small q room of snake seven feet long wa
agree bic TO the visitors. One bite from tho
reptile. and any one Of Us would have been dead
IN i've minutes, for 10 was exceptionally strong
ana lively. w rose les head, out came Its Git
tering tongue, its eyes diated. its huge throat
aweileI. md All seemed ready for despernta
attack. when the keeper struck the reptiles
could rike him had seizcd It just unuer the
head. The other native now Sc zed its ccntrs
and II, and without more ado the terrible crea-
turc wis boosted into the air az harmless as q
butterfly. and its fangs exposed by the aid "
small piece OF wire. Those teeth were literally
full o. poison enough To have Killed dozen
persons.
AT length. our curiosity satisfied. this monster
put into his cage, and us brother plucked
out by the naked native with the hand and
thrown ON the floor. lie, too. was truculent for
q minute, endeayorins TO follow the unpanta.
reckoned without his host. Or rather his keeper,
for he was seized presently by the tail and
hoIsted up just as the other mad been. In vain
he Missed aud spit. His tongue might move
in an out as often as It pleased. but all to no
purpose; whether on the Il IOr Ia the air It's
efforts TO bite we're perfectly unavaing and
when the cage was opened II SUNK In, discon-
certed serpent.
A cobra was the next to be turned out,
strong, healthy snake. nearly five fee; In length.
with hood the power Of moving which some
what startled US. But move as II might. the
agile native W too quick for IT, lie would put
his knee Within u loot OF It as IL stood up ready
however as II was sudden. Then IL would hiss,
as though hoping % frighten its adversary ii
might "a well nave Kissed a. tho wall. Aud. just
when 1t got up again, aud WAS so eprared thatit
could scarcely wait for A good opportunity 10
strike at the nltiye's knee, which was moving
before " In a most tantahzlng manner, the
Keepers hand was quiet " placed under lis head,
sud IL was removed Ike It's predeoess lrs. III
IL bite p asked. see" said the native. TAX
Ing up piece Of bamboo stretched across a
shell, he held the wood t. the serpents
mouth. Instantly the reutile seized tue prof
ferad bait. Its eyes glistening. its neck dis
tended. and crunched the wood IA Though IL
was tiader. Two or three moments ELAPSED as
the teeth penetrated farther Into tae 1nre, and
into the she'll which acted a. "A Kind II saucer
1 was particular In noticing two points In regard
to THIS Incident hrst. that the poison did not
come from the f.ngs immediately the bite was
Inflicted fact which Will account for the mon
goose living sometimes after he Is bitten by tie
cobra; aud. next, Il At tue gu ntliy Of venom
| emitted WAS much greater than Is generally SUD
posed. There were live or six LARGE white drops
IN tho shell, and PROBABLY one or two absorbed
In the bamboo. When forced to surrender tie
wood the serpent seemed oy no means exhaust
ed The tbre was n,uch torn. for the teeth had
peneuated Dearly quarter 81 m men.
When another cobra, equhlly large, was oX-
amined 1t was shown that the teetn were set
back some distance In the head, and that they
were ty no means SO large as hose Of "A viper
which was shown aflerward, and which was 50
quick in its movements that At HAD 20 be liited
| out offs box by means OF aihookud stick. Ihis
huge viper made such desperate .ttempis to
strike one or two ofus that we were by no meNn
sorry wnen tho keeper seized MIN by the neck
and tail and opened his mouth. His fangs were
larger than the cobra's by one half and very
strong. They must have contained a great guam
tity OF venom. A "kussell' snake. with q
golden spotted back, was the next ON the floor.
aud It Kissed violently, but was taken up Just rs
easily as the Others after " had been provoked
to n great raRe for several minutes. A korite,
proverbialy deadly, h I'd been PLAYED many
tricks before that was slow to take pnrt In the
fun. Once or twice Il struck vIciousy at the
keeper. but without any effect, and at last ceased
to make any effort to bite the HiIdoo. here
was no need to play a pipe or tom. tom to awe
that snake. 1t was only too glad TO get AWAY
into his blanket and box again. The cxhibi-
ton was ended by the showing OF a btsoobra, OF
small guaya.