The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-04-27
DEADLY SNAKES OF INDIA.
rrow the Natives Handle the Monster
serpents-TaeIZIlng Python


A Calcutta correspondent Of the Lon
aon Telegraph writes as follows: Bear
IN mind that no snake charmer was pres
ont that neither pipe ner whistle was
SIaod that every snake had its poison
fongs or teeth in capital order, and that
r~IT means save the marvellous skill of the
,otivp operators was employed in the
nvhibition which followed, and you will
have good idea Of the peril through
which those Hindoos passed. 1t was
carly in the morning-not however, be-
fore the snakes, which were in a series of
gvire-covered boxes, were awake and
Iivelv-that we were shown into stone
aoored room some twenty feet long and
twelve broad. In the boxes were the
strongest and deadliest snakes in India
nvth0ns, Ophiopcagi, cobras, kOrites,
Russell snakes, and many others. The
Hindoos who had charge of them were
two slim, wiry little men, nude to the
waist, as most of their countrymen are.
They wore neither gloves nor any other
protection, and had no instrument of any
kind in the place. After showing the
varied collection under their care, they
proceeded to open the python case, and
one of them, putting his hand in, seized
a monster serpent and threw him upon
the floor close to our feet. The python
objected to such treatment, and began to
hiss making at the same time vigorous
effort to rise. But the snake keeper was
waiting for this, and no sooner did that
huge shining back begin to curve than
the keeper put out his hand, and, seizing
the creatures tail, pulled it back with
Jerk. Instantly the pythen was power
less-hissing, but unable to move the
more he struggled, the more tenaciOusly
did the keeper hold his tail, explaining
meanwhile that so long as the reptile was
controlled in that fashion there was no
danger of its doing mischief; then, just
as its rage was becoming ungOvernable,
the man lifted it quickly, and with a
jerk deposited it in the box. Its COM
panion was now taken out in similar
manner, and slapped and bufeted till
throughout its entire length, some twelve
feet, it quivered with passion, but all to
no purpose it, too, was presently re-
placed in the cage, and shut up to hiss at
leisure.
The fact that an Ophiophagus is in the
Regents Park geological gardens rem
dered the next exhibition more interest
ing, although it may be doubted whether
the throwing into so small a room of
snake seven feet long was agreeable to
the visitors. One bite from the reptile,
and any one of us would have been dead
in five minutes, for it was exceptionally
strong and lively. Up rose its head, out
came its glittering tongue, its eyes
dilated, its huge throat swelled, and all
seemed ready for a desperate attack,
when the keeper struck the reptiles
mouth with the back of his hand and be-
fore it could strike him had seized it
just under the head. The other native
now seized its center and tail, and with
out more ado the terrible creature was
hOisted into the air as harmless as but
terhy, and its fangs exposed by the aid
Of small piece of wire. Those teeth
were literally full of poisOn-enOugh to
have killed a dozen persons.
At length, our curiosity satisfied, this
monster was put into his cage, and his
brother plucked out by the naked native
with the hand and thrown ON the floor.
he, too, was truculent for q minute, en-
deavering to follow the unpantalooned
HindOo round the room; but he had
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 and spat.
his tongue might move in and out as
often as it pleased, but all to no Pur-
pose; whether on the floor or in the air
Us Efforts to bite were perfectly unavail-
ing, and when the cage was opened it
SUNK In, a disconnected serpent.
cobra was the next to be turned out,
strong, healthy snake, nearly five feet
IN length, with hood the power Of
moving which somewhat startled us.
But move as it might, the agile native
was too quick for it. He would put his
Knee within foot of it as it stood up
ready to srike, and it would make dart
q futile, however, as it was sudden.
inen 1t would hiss, as though hoping to
iFlghten its adversary; it might as we'll
nave Kissed at the wall. And, Just when
y got up again, and was so enraged that
y could scarcely wait for a good oppoE-
t9nlty to strike at the natives knee,
which was moving before it in most
tantalzing manner, the keepers hand
was quietly placed under its head, and
y was removed like it's predecessors.
VIII it bite ~ asked. See, said
tne native. Taking up piece Of bamboo
stretched across she'll, he held the wood
y the serpent's mouth. Instantly the
reptile seized the profered bait, its eyes
shstening, its neck distended, and
e!unIched the wood as though it was
under Two or three moments elapsed