Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-25
IDAMAJANTE'S Peril.
The Snake Chsrm0r Nearly
Crushed by a Huge
Python,
She Bxtricates Herself from
the Deadly Embrace by a
Superhumap Effort Of
Strength,
How She Has Been Bitten by Her
DAMAJANTE'S Peril.

Pa iladephia Press.
A thrilling incident happened In
Forepaugh's circus yesterday after.
noon, while Nala Damajante, the
Hindoo snake charmer, was going
through her performance OF handling
half q dozen ,~quirming pythons. 1t
was all In the ,winkling of an eye,
and scarcely a dozen persons in the
great audience were aware that Dana.
jante had for o moment been In dead
ly peril. She had finished the won.
derful act Of walking about the raised
platform with six snakes coiled like a
living head dress over her forehead,
and had taken the huge python,
whose weight Is ninety pounds and
length twelve feet, from Its box, and
threw 1t across her shoulder. As she
bad done with the other snakes, Dam.
sjsnte grasped the powerful creature q
few inches back Of the head. AL.
though the air was damp, the
python appeared possessed of more
than usual activity. 1t unwound Its
sir uous length from Dsmsjante's body
ana quickly coiled about the upper
part Of her chest and throat. To
those nearest the performer, the mus.
cles of the snake could be d~istinctly
seen working beneath the spotted
akin. Suddenly, the reptile gave an
hiss and darted forth is ~quivering
tongue, and almost at the same mo.
ment tie coll about the woman's
throat was frightened. Damsjante's
agent, who was standing near the en-
trance to the elephant house, appeared
to know that there was O possibility Of
something of the kind taking place,
and wal keeping q keen eye
on tho performance, He started
forward quickly but quietly,
so as not to alarm the audience
and had got half way down the race
track, when Damajante, who had al.
ready realized her great danger, suc-
c,eded In untwisting the tail of the
snake from her body. The middle
and most powerful part of the python
was still about her throat, and the
pressure was Increasing, She was
very rsle, but thoroughly calm. The
head of the python, Kissing horribly
was still grasped In her right hand.
Damsjante, with remarkable nerve,
managed to fsee her left arm, and In
another instant had, with all tho
strength she possessed In both hands,
u%nwrapped the writhing necklace
from her throat. She placed her
dangerous pet back in Its box, bowed,
and retired.
BITTEN BY sERPENTs.
Speaking Of hor strange avocation
a few moments later, Damajante said
that It was only during very warm
weather, when the snakes were Vicious
ly active, that che feared their
strength. "They are very susceptible
to cold," said the soake charmor, after
she had recovered her oomposure,
and have to be kept In boxes
arranged with hot water pans to keep
the temperature up TO at least 100 9 -.
b ,sldes that, they are wrapt up In
blankets. Die l ever have anything
like that happen before2 Oh yes.
Once In Berlin, about two years ago,
my largest snake nearly crushed me
to death. II took the united strength
Of two men to remove him. Another
time in Riga the large python got
his tall around o pillar and threw me
on my back. In Madrid my arm wac
almost twisted out Of its socket.
Sometimes they bite me-look," and,
extending her hands, Damsjante
showed them to bs covered with small
v-shaped soers. 1.-THE bite is moi
poisonous, but 1t IL rather painful. ]
don't mind my hands 80 much, but am
on the watch to keep them from strik.
Ing at my eyes. You know the pecu.
liar way In which the python's teeth
are set-ourving backward In repose
and standing erect when angry-well
II would be an easy matter to lose or
eye. Some years ago In Vierna 9
snake oharmer had his eye plucked
out of the socket In an instant. ]
think the snakes know me. I have
possessed strange power ovel
them, that I can't account
for myself, since girlhood
Are they hardy9 Well, sir, l givt
them a. much attention % . mother
does her child. Regularly every Sat
urdsy night they are washed in luke
warm water and wrapped up in blan,
kets. During warm weather l feed
them every eight days. The smaller
ones eat live rabbits, and that big fell.
low Is satisfied with q live duck o,
two. I Have another pet, who isshed.
ding his coat. Come and I'll show
him to you. Hes only q baby" and,
leading the way to the menagerie tent,
Damajante approached q red box,
which she unlocked. From beneath
the folds of q double blanket she drew
with some difficulty one of the
most monstrous pythons ever
seen In captivity. 1t measured
eighteen feet from head to tall,
and weighed certainly not less than
1875 pounds. It's scaly coat was peel
Ing off In patches, and its eyes were
sightless. This blindness, the snake
oharmer said, was always present when
the reptile was going through the an.
nual process of shedding Its gaudy-
kued coat. "This fellow" continued
DAmsjsnte, sis very strong, and I
have to use the greatest care In ham
ding him. He Is almost through now,
and 1 possibly may exhibit him In
| philadelnhia hefora the cfrcua moves ~