Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-22

4 2s
had not been many years In India when
had an excellent opportunity OF seeing the So
| called snake>charming. and of satisfying myself
that It was only clever legerdemain. Two snake
thaTmerS appeared in the compound and offered
10 purge it OF all the snakes IL contained. en-
traced the opportunity with great alacrity, but
insisted on debating my own terms, which, af
ter some demur were agreed 10. l selected one
man, (the other remaining with the baSket). and
onered him the choice OF accompanying me
either In his dhotee only an. bare head, or with
his pugree and a langootee. lie chose the latter
costume. soon made his toilet. and stood before
me all but naked satisfied myself that the
ana had yet to find whence the reptile could or
would be produced. So we proceeded TO bust
ness accompanied by crowd OF gaping ser
wants. led the way TO a great pruSIrate trunk
beneath which a cobra Imaginary was said 20
lodge, and here he started his rude bagpipe and
began his incantationS and gestculationS- But
the snake refused to be charmed, for the very
good reason that 1t was not there and the char
iner could not evade my searching gaze. He now
took the lead and drew up before a tempting
locking hole in bank, where he felt sure he
could seduce snake Every we'll" said |. and
We formed a semicircle. in the middle of which
we stood, and resumed his incantations. Sud-
denly, 10 divert my gaze, he pointed TO the hole,
and exclaimed, '.Dekho. SdhtUtr (''Look mas
ter ~ and I'm a moment extracted apparently
cobra from 1t. But he did not see that In that
moment had observed his hand like a light
ming flash, extract snake from the folds OF his
pugree and simultaneously appear to extract it
IRON the hole. The BtOdas operdilfi was clever
| fSCiuClidlii, pul CutdtltlS. olt
OF my servants saw the trick, too and was
about to eSclaim, but silenced him with a geS-
tuIe, and appeared convinced at the marvel.
Now" said l, ''as you have found the snake
you must prove TO me that ii is poisonous" and
50 poor chicken was sent for and placed under
ii &C OPP with the snake; but here again the snake
q am er overdid his performance, for. diSlOcat
;, the chickens neck with his finger and
thumb as he placed it under the COOP heimmed-
l.'uly raised IL, and exhibited the poor animal
q al III ii had been struck by the snake, ten
or fifteen minutes would have elapsed before
death. ] still seemed convinced. and on his
coolly asking fer the chicken for his dinner
said could not think OF allowing him To eat 4
poisoned animal, and so ordered 1t to be buried.
HAVING received their bakhsheeSh, both men
asked ne Tor some brandy; as. at the moment
there was none In the house and telling them
SO, one lointed to large bottle OF saturated
tincture OF ginger which was standing in the
sun. and asked what it was. On my telling
him, both asked for some, so l babe them sit
down, and poured mouthful down each gullet.
I he unen pected pungency OF the shrub aston
fshsd them but one OF them, pressing his
stomach with both hands, and with his eyes
streaming with tears, gasped out: ''G'H' Gu'
mofe gtyc.> The other man said he had had
enough. Both then rose, and ShouidtrnT their
baskets, salaamed and left The compound.-
mature.