River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-04-05
snake-Charmers, Humbugs.


From the Scientific American.
One by one science is annihilating
every notion which ascribes to any
person or class of persons phenomenal
powers. DR.. Fayrer, in his splendid
and valuable work ''The ThanatOphida
of India" says that the famous East
Indian snake-cllarmers are impostors,
and that he has repeatedly detected
them in attempting, by subtle impo-
sitions and clever acting, to delude
lookers-on into the belief that they
were dealing with veritable wild
snakes, when all the time the dancing
cobras that made their appearance at
the sound of the pipe were some of
their own tame snakes, placed in GER
tain spots beforehand.
These professional snake catcherS
are many of them, in addition to their
regular vocation, most expert jugglers,
and exceedingly adroit at all kinds of
sleight-of-hand tricks. 1t is their con-
slant practice to "turn down" few
tame snakes in a garden hedge or
somewhere close in the vicinity of a
house they intend paving a visit to,
ere they present themselves before the
sahib, the owner of the premises and
then, with every appearance of good
faith, the rascals request permission to
be allowed to clear the compound of
snakes; at the same time STIMULATING
for a reward, perhaps one rupee head
for every snake they succeed in catch.
ing. If the gentleman of the house
should happen to be griffin, or new
conner, likely enough he will be IN
duced to lend an ear to so plausible a
request, and at length promise these
crafty rogues SO much for each snake
they succeed in catching. Soon, to his
horror and amaZement. hideous SER
penis of various dimensions are pro-
duced, one from the straw in an empty
stall in the stables, another from the
garden hedge, and so on; till at last,
perhaps, the fraud is carried too far
and discovered.
DR.. Fayrer states that certain de.
scriptions of serpents-chietly of the
genus naia-most undoubtedly are Sus-
ceptible to, and in a measure become
fascinated on hearing musical soudns,
Il have constantly SEEM" he says,
stame snakes in the possession of
snake-catchers, on hearing the sound
of the pipe, erect themselves and sway
their heads from side to side, and be-
yond a doubt show pleasure at the
strain but have never once seen a
wild snake go through the same per-
Torrance and believe only tame rep
tiles carried about in baskets and
broken in for such an exhibition so
conduct themselves. / have repeated
ly offered snake charmers five rupees
to bring out from its sanctuary, by
means of music, cobra known by me
to be at home,' but invariably all
their efforts have been in vain.
There are many who actually believe
in the efficacy of stones which, when
applied to a snake bite, are supposed
to withdraw the poison but if such a
very simple remedy were really effec-
tual, and a genuine specific, the snake
stone cure would speedily be brought
into universal use. cit would appear,
however, that these people really prize
these so-called stones, for have been
present when money was offered to
them to part with one, but declined.
Perhaps the strongest argument
against this snake-stone cure is that
these very men often themselves fall
victims to the bite of the cobra, though
at the time in possession of a stone
which they assert to be capable of
work. 10 a cure. Moreover, when these
professional snake catchers have to
deal with an undoubtedly wild cobra
in full vigor--although as rule they
display extraordinary pluck, skill and
resolution in capturing it, and on the
first favorable opportunity will with
wonderful quickness seize hold of and
secure it-an attentive beholder can
not fail to remark the extreme caution
and watchful management they dis
play on first clutching hold of the ami.
NAL, their whole demasz0r and action
differing Enthusiastically from the off
hand, careless manner which they as
sumo when grasping one of their own
harmless specimens; and it is an I'M
doubted fact that these men really
dread the consequences of a chance
bite from a wild cobra quite as much
as other mortals do, and are well aware
that nothing can withdraw the deadly
venom from a wound, or save life,
when once the deadly poison has min
gled with the blood. But, even with
all the remedies IS yet known, includ.
ing eopious doses of brandy and ammo
mia, and the immediate efforts of skill
ed surgeons, it is said to be told by
men such as DR.. Fayrer, and others
who have devoted time and energy to
the subject, that there is almost no
hope of saving life if the bite
has been inflicted by one of the most
venomous snakes, in full health and
yigor.