The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-04-13
DEADLY SNAKES OF INDIA.


don Telegraph writes as follows: Bear
in mind that no snake charmer was pres
ent, that neither pipe nor whistle was
used, that every snake had its 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 a series of !
wire-cOvered boxes, were awake and |
ively-that we were shown into a stone
hoored room some twenty feet long and
twelve broad. In the boxes were the
strongest and deadliest snakes in India
pythons, Ophiop1agi, cobras, korites,
Russell snakes, and many others. The
HindOos who had charge of them were
two slim, why 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
Il 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 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, explaining
zneanN hIie that 50 long as the reptile was
controlled in that fashion there was no
danger of its doing mischief; then, Just
rs It's rage was becoming ungOvernable
the man lifted it quickly, and with a
jerk deposited it in the box It's COM
paniOn was now taken out in q similar
manner, and slapped and buffeted till
throughout its entire length, some twelve
feet, it quivercd with passion, but all to
no purpose it, too, was presently re
placed in the cage, and shut up to hiss al
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 t
the visitors. One bite from the reptile
and any one of us would have been deaC
IN five minutes, for it was exceptionally
strong and lively. Up rose its head GU
came its glittering tongue, its eye
dilated, its huge throat swelled, and al
seemed ready for Il desperate attack
when the keeper struck the reptile
mouth with the back of his hand and be
fore it could strike him had seized i
just under the head. The other nativ,
now seized its center and tail, and with
out more ado the terrible creature wa
hoisted into the air as harmless as but
tertly, and its fangs exposed by the al,
of Il small piece of wire. Those teetl
were literally full of poison-enough t,
have killed a dozen persons.
At length, our curiosity satisfied, thi
monster was put into his cage, and hi
brother plucked out by the naked nativ
with the hand and thrown on the floor
He, too, was truCulent for minute, ell
deavoring to follow the unpantaloone
HindOO round the room; but he ha
TcckOned without his host, or rather hi
keeper, for he was seized presently b
the tail and hosted up just as the othe
had been. In vain he Missed and spa
His tongue might move in and out 9
often as it pleased, but all to no Pul
pose whether on the floor or in the al
its efforts to bite were perfectly unavai
ing, and when the cage was opened
A cobra was the next to he turned on
a strong, healthy snake nearly five fee
in length, with a hood the power
moving which somewhat startled IL
But move as it might, the agile nativ
was too quick for. it. He would put h
knee within a foot of it as it stood Il
ready to srike, and it would make a dal
as futile, however, as it was suddeI
Then it would hiss, as though hoping I
frighten its adversary it might as we
have Kissed at the wall. And, Just whe
it got up again, and was so enTaged ths
it could scarcely wait for a good oppo
tunity to strike ut the natives kne
which was moving before it in a mos
tantalizing manner, the keepers han
was quietly placed under its head, an
it was removed like its predecessor
"WilI it bite ?" | asked. 4" See," sal
the native. Taking up piece of bambC
stretched across a shell, he held the woo
to the serpent's mouth. Instantly I'll
reptile seized the profered bait, its ey,
glistening, its neck distended, an
crunched the wood as though it W;
finder. Two or three moments elapse
as the teeth penetrated further into ii
fiber, and then we saw TIE poison falliT
in which drops into the shell, which acte
as a kind of saucer. / was particular
noticing two points in regard to this II
cidcnt: first, that the poison did II,
come from the fangs Immediately Il
bite was inflicted fact which will a
count for the mongoose living sometime
after he is bitten by the cobra; ant
next, that the quantity of venO
emitted was much greater than Is gene
ally supposed. There were five or 81
large white drops in the shell, and pro
ably one or two absorbed In the bambo
When forced to surrender the wood Il
SERPENT seemed by no means exhausted
the fiber was much torn, for the teet
had penetrated nearly a quarter of {
inch.
When another cobra, equally larg
was examined it was shown that Il
teeth were set back some distance In Il
head. and that they were by no means
large rs a viper which was shown atte
ward, and which was so quick in
movements that il had to be lifted OF
of its box by means of a hooked ste
This huge viper made such deSpera
attempts to strike one or two of us TIN
we were by no means sorry when Il
keeper seized him by the neck and IL
and oueued his mouth. His tangs we
larcer than the cObra's by One-halt, M
very strong. They must have containt
a great quantity of venom. A Russell
snake. with a golden spotted back, w
tbe next on the floor, and it Kissed vi
Ientlv, but was taken up just as easily
the others after it had been provoked
a great rage for several minutes.
korite, provcrbially deadly, had bee
played so many tricks before that 1t WI
Slow to take part in the fun. Once
twice il struck viciously at the keepe
but without any effect, and at last cease
81. ID