The Osceola times., 1876-04-08
DEADLY SNAKES or INDIA.
new she Natives Hsaale the Msssser
ssrpeass TaeAiisg Python.

ssspeats -racAlsng . Python.
A Calcutta correspondent Of the Lon
don Telegraph writes as follows; Bear
in mind that no snake charmer was pres
cnt, 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 marvellous skill Of the
native operators was employed in the
exhibition which followed, and you will
have good idea Of the peril through
which those Hindoos passed. It was
early in the morning-not, however, be-
fore the snakes, which were in series Of
wiret boxes, were awake and
lively--that we were shOwn into stone
6oored room some twenty feet long and
twelve broad. In the boxes were the
strongest and deadliest snakes in India
pythons, ophiopoagi, 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 10 open the python case, and
one OF them, putting his hand in, seized
. monster serpent and threw him upon
the floor close to our feet. The python
objected 70 such treatment, and began to
hiss, making at the same time vigorous
effort 10 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 a
jerk. Instantly the python was power
lcss-hi~ing, but unable TO move the
more he struggled, the more tenaciously
did the keeper hold his tail, explaining
meanwhile that 20 long as the reptile was
controlled In that fashion there was no
danger of It's doing mischief; then, Just
as It's rage was becoming ungovernable,
the man lifted it quickly, and with
jerk deposited IL in the box. It's com
panion was now taken out in similar
manner, and slapped and bufieted till
throughout its entire length, some twelve
feet, 1t quivercd with passion, but all to
no purpose ii, too, was presently re.
placed in the cage, and shut up to hiss at
leisure.
The fact that an ophiophagus il in the
Regents Park geological gardens rem
dercd the next exhibition more interest
ing, although it may be doubted whether
tho throwing into no small room of a
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 II was exceptionally
strong and lively. Up rose its head, out
came its glittcring tongue, its eyes
dilated, its huge throat swelled, and all
seemed ready for desperate attack,
when the keeper struck the reptiles
mouth with the back Of his hand and be-
fore it could strike him had seized il
just under the head. The other native
now seized its center and tail, and with
out more ado the terrible creature was
hoistcd into the air as harmless as but
terHy, and its fangs exposed by the aid
of a small piece of wire. Those teeth
were literally full of poison-enough to
have killed dozen persons.
Al 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 a 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
had been. In vain he hissed and spat.
His tongue might move in and out as
often as II pleased, but all to no rur-
pose whether on the floor or in the air
its efforts to bite were perfectly unavail-
ing, and when the cage was opened il
skunk in, Disconnected serpent.
A cobra was the next to he turned out.
strong, healthy snake, nearly five feet
in length, with hood the power of
moving which somewhat startled us.
But move m 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 il would make dart
as futile, however, as it was sudden
Then it would hiss, as though hoping to
brighten its adversary it might as well
have hissed at the wall. And, Just when
II got up again, and WAS 10 enraged that
II could scarcely wait for a good oppor.
tunity 10 strike at the natives knee,
which was moving before it in most
tantalizing manner, the keepers hand
was quietly placed under its head, and
il was removed like its predecessor.
Will il bite 2" l asked. :" See," said
the native. Taking up piece of bamboo
stretched across shell, he held the wood
to the serpent's mouth. Instantly the
reptile seized the profiered bait, its eyes
glistening, its neck distended, and
crunched the wood as though 1t wa,
tinder. Two or three moments elapsed
as the teeth penetrated further into tn,
fiber, and then we saw the poison falling
in which drops into the shell, which acted
as kind of saucer. l was particular in
noticing two points in regard to this in
cident; first, that the poison did moi
come from the fangs Immediately III,
bite was inficted--s fact which will &C
count for the mongooss living sometime
after he is bitten by the cobra and
next, that the quantity Of venom
emitted was much greater than is gener
ally supposed. There were five or 81,
large white drops In the shell, and prob
ably one or two absorbed in the bamboo
When forced 70 surrender the wood Tn,
serpent seemed by no means exhausted
the fiber was much torn, for the teetl
had Penetrated nearly quarter of al
inch.
When another cobra, equally large
was examined it was shown that th
teeth were ret back some distance in tn
head, and that they were by no means g
large as viper which was shown after
ward, and which was 70 quick in II
,vrove,v,.uts that II had In r. liffad m,