The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-24
writing, the names will last ten times as
long as if written dry. -Colnaan's Rural
World
The Secret Of Snake Charming.


The London Daily Telegraph says
In India the favorite snake for exhibition
is the cobra, partly because OF its more
striking appearance, and partly because,
it's deadly character being 30 well known,
any triAing with it appears to the un-
initiated public the more wonderful
Nor, indeed, do the performances OF the
Hindoo snake charmer lose, on better &C
quaintance, all their marvelousness, for
courage of high order, arising partly
from the confidence acquired by long
practice, is manifested in seizing and
bagging the dreadful ophidian.
In most cases the charmer renders the
reptiles harmless by drawing their poi.
son fangs. and the exhibition becomes
then merely one of the snakes highly
trained condition. On the other hand,
it often happens that the basket contains
the veritable death dealer; and cobra
with his fangs undrawn is nearly always
forthcoming if the temptation in money
be sufficiently strong. But in the ham
ding ofthe creature when once exposed
there is no hesitation, for hesitation
means death, and in the swift seizure
and sudden release there is daring of an
exceptional kind. A cobra strikes, when
it has really made up its mind to strike,
with Lightning rapidity, and to dodge
lightning successfully, requires consid-
erable agility. ... ...
The snake charmers, however, when
put on their mettle, will grasp the erect
cobra with impunity, owing, solely to
the superior speed Of their movements,
for by feint they provoke the reptile
to strike, and before it can recover its
attitude seize it below the jaws. In the
same way the ichneumon or mongoose
secures in contest with venomous snakes
comparative immunity. It was for a
long time an article of faith with writer's
of popular works on natural history,
that this animal enjoyed complete i'm
munity, but scientific experiment has
corrected the fallacy. A mongoose and
cobra confined together fought freely,
and though the latter seemed to the eye
to strike his antagonist, the mongoose,
on being examined after it had killed
the snake, was found to be untouched.
Another cobra was then brought on to
the scene, and, being made to close it's
fangs on the. mongoose's leg, the ami
NAL confessed its susceptibility TO the
poison by dying in about four minutes.
It was therefore by it's superior activity
alone that in fair fight with the reptile
it had escaped unhurt, and to the same
cause the snake charmer owes the immu-
nifty that attends his exhibition. But as
in the case of the mongoose, the snake
charmer when actually bitten dies as
rapidly as any other creature, and in
spite of all the powers of his charms,
roots and snake stones. The Hindco
spectator refuses to believe this, and en-
joys, therefore, by his credulity, pleas
ure denied to more intelligent audiences,
for if we could only accept as truth the
charmer's statement that he has really
been bitten, and that red drops on the
bitten spot were actually blood exuding
from the fatal puncture, and could then
believe that the root he smelt, the stone
he applied to the wound, and the charms
he muttered were veritably counter-act-
ing the magic of the cobras poison, the
spectacle would be of surprising in
terest, since it would be miracle.
For the cobra's bite there is no remedy
except instant amputation, and the
snake charmer himself knows this we'll.
As means OF general security he con-
fides in his dexterous sleight. .of-hand,
but in case of accidents he carries a
ad-bladed knife.