Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-29
DEADLY SNAKES In INDIA.
The Perils Through which the HindoOs
Pass-Taclxling PythOn-FOO cling with |
q CObra--Russe1 Snakes and Other Rep



Pass-TacIxling n Python-FOo1ing with
q Cobra--RusseH Snakes and Other Rep
tiles.
Calcutta Correspondence of the Telegraph.
Bear in mind that no snake charmer
was present, that neither pipe nor
whistle was used, that every snake had
it's poison fangs or teeth in capital
order, and that no means save the mar
velous skill Of the native operators was
employed in the exhibition which fol-
lowed, and you will have a good idea
of the peril through which those Hin
docs passed. 1t was early in the morn
ing-not, however, before the snakes,
which were in a series of wire-covered
boxes, were awake and lively-that we
were shown into q stone-hOored room
some twenty feet long and twelve feet
broad. In the boxes were the strongest
and deadliest snakes in India-pythons,
ophiophagi, cobras, korites, Russell
snakes and many others. The Hin
docs 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 pro-
| lection, and had no instrument OF any
kind IN the place. After showing the
varied collection under their care, they
proceeded to open the python, and
one Of them, putting his hand in, seized
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 Wig
orous effort to rise. But the snake
keeper put out his hand, and, Selling
the creatures tail, pulled it back with a
jerk. Instantly the python was power
less-hissing, but unable to move; the
more he struggled the more tenaciously
did the keeper hold his tail, explain
ing meanwhile that so long as the rep
tile was controlled in that fashion there
vas no danger Of its doing mischief;
then, just as its rage was becoming I'M
governable, the man lifted it quickly,
and with jerk deposited it in the box
is companion was now taken out in a
similar manner, and slapped and buff
fded till throughout its entire length,
some twelve feet, it quivered with pas
sion, but all to no purpose ; it, too, was
presently replaced in the cage, and shut
upto hiss at leisure.
The fact that an ophiophagus is in
the Regents Park Geological Gardens,
rendered the next exhibition more in
teresting, although it may be doubted
whether the throwing into SO small a
room of q snake seven feet long was
agreeable to the visitors. One bite from
the reptile, and any one of us would
have Teen dead in five minutes, for it
was exceptionally strong and lively. Up
rose its head, out came its glittering
tongue, it's eyes dilated, it's huge throat
swelled, and all seemed ready for des-
perate attack, when the keeper struck
the reptiles mouth with the back of his
hand, and before it could strike him
had seized it just under the head. The
other native now seized its centre and
| tail, and without more ado the terrible
creature was hoisted into the air as
harmless as butterfly, and it's fangs ex-
posed by the aid of small piece Of
wire. These teeth were literally full Of
poison-enough 10 have killed dozen
persons.
At length, our curiosity satisfied, this
monster was put into his cage, and his
brother picked out by the naked ma
tive with the hand and thrown on the
floor. He, too, was truculent for a
minute, endeavoring to follow the I'M
pantaloo1ed Hindoo around the room;
but he had reckoned without his host,
or rather his keeper. for he was seized
presently by the tail and hoisted up as
| the other rad BEEN In vain he Kissed
and spat. His tongue might move in
and out as often as it pleased, but all
to no purpose; whether on the floor or
in the air, it's efforts to bite were per-
fectly unamiling, and when the cage
was opened it skunk in, a disconnected
serpent.
A cobra was the next to be turned
out, strong, healthy snake, nearly five
feet in length, with a 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 he stood up
ready to strike, and it would make
dart as futile, however, as it was sud
den. Then it would hiss, as though
hoping to brighten his adversary; it
might as we'll have Kissed at the wall.
And, Just when it got up again, and was
so enraged that it could hardly wait for
d. SOOu VppO1Ol AA1oy w oOAiAS CIV viz
natives knee, which was moving before
it in a tantalizing manner, the keepers
hand was quietly placed under its
head, and it was removed like its pre-
decessors. Will it bite?' [ asked.
See," said the native. Taking up
piece of bamboo stretched across a
She'll he held the weed to the serpent's
mouth. Instantly the reptile seized
the prof ed.bait, it's eyes glistning, its
neck distended, and crunched the wood
as though it were finder. Two or three
moments elapsed as the teeth pene-
trated farther into the fibre, and then
we saw the poison falling in white
drops into the shell, which acted as
kind of saucer. I was particular in
noticing two points in regard to this in
cident; first, that the poison did not
come from the fangs Immediately the
bite was irflicted-a fact which will
account for the mongoose living some-
times after he is bitten by the cobra;
and next, that the quantity Of venom
emitted was much greater than is