Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-07
Secret of Snake Charming.
SIMPLY A QUESTION OF WHETHER SNAKE OR .
GIFR Is

SIMPLY QUESTION OF WHETHER SNAKE OR Jug
GLER Is QUICKEST.
In India the favOrite snake for exhibition is
the cobra, partly because of its more striking
appearance, and partly because, its deadly char
acter being SO well known, any triflng with il
appears to the unintiated public the more won
derful. Nor, indeed, do the performances of
the Hlndoo snake charmerS lose on better ac-
qualntance. all their maryeliOuSneSS, for cOur-
age OF high order. arising partly from the
confidence acquired by long practice, Is mani
Tested In selling and bagging the dreadful ophi-
Clan. In most cases the charmer renders the
reptiles harmless by drawing their poison fangS.
ana the exhibition becomes then merely one
OF the snakes highly trained condition
on the other hand it happens that the basket
contains the veritable death dealer. and cob
ia with It's fangs undrawn is nearly always
forthcoming if the temptation in money be
Su1lclently strong. But in handling of the
creature when once exposed there is no hest
latlon, Tor hesitation means death, and in
TIE swift seizure and sudden release there is
daring OF an exceptional kind. A cobra strikes
when 1t has really made up its mind to strike
with lightning rapidly, and to dodge lightning
successfully requires considerable agility. The
snake charmerS, however, when put on their
mettle, will grasp the erect cobra with i'm
punlty, owing solely to the superior speed
OF their movements for by q feint they pro-
woke the reptile to strike, and before it can
recover its attitude seize it below the jaws
In the same way the ichneumon or mongo0se
secures in contest with venOmOuS snakes COM
parat1Ve immunity. 1t was for long time an
article OF faith with writer's OF popular works on
piete Immunity, but scientific experiment has
corrected this fallacy. A mOngOose and cobra
confined together fought freely, and though the
latter seemed to the eye to strike his antage-
mist repeatedly, the mOngooSe, on being exam
med after killing the snake, was found to be
untouched. Another cobra was then brought
on the scene, and being made to close its fangS
on the mongoose'S leg, the animal confessed IS
susceptibility to the poison by dyir In minutes
IL was therefore by its superior activity alone
that In fair fight with the reptile it had es-
capped unhurt and TO the same cause the snake
charmer owes the immunity that attends his
exhibition. But, as In the case OF the mongoose.
the snake charner when actually bitten dies as
rapid as any other creature, and in spite of all
Ine powers OF his charms, roots and snake
stones. The Hindoo spectator refuses TO be-
/ Heye this, and enjoys, therefore by his
/ credulity, a pleasure denied to more intel.
ligent audiences. for If we could only
accept se ,na as ,s truth 18th the eharmers state
that the red drops on the bitten spot were aetl-
ally blood exuding from the fatal puncture and
could then believe that the root he smelt. the
he muttered were veritably concentrating the
magic OF the cobra's poison, the spectacle would
/ miracle
For the cobra's bite there is no remedy ex-
cept instant amputation, and the snake charmer
/ himself knows this well. AS means of general
security he confldeS in his dextrOrS slight OF
hand; but In cases of accidents he carries a
proad- oiaded knife-tLondon Telegraph.
J -Auguste Guidi and his wife were very mis-
cradle In San Francisco. They had been mar
/ RED only few months, but were ALREADY dis
/ couraged by poverty. having been accustomed
/ to an easy, careless life. Guidi sent letter 10
! a friend requesting him to go to a certain spot
ina suburb OF the city. find bit OF red paper,
to something Startling" The friend did as re-
! quested, and found the dead bodies OF Gu!di and
his Vile. TEey had committed suicide.