The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-06-29
vsnoMous REPTILES.
The Manner in wh.en cobra. Are Caught

The Manner in winch Cobras Are Caught
by Natives OF India.
Mr.. C. 7. Bnckland. +. u. S., the
originator of the crusade against
snakes in India, mentions that, having
seen cobra bite fowl. he watched
and saw the fowl fail dead within thirty
seconds from the time il was bitten.
This occurred in the house of friend
who had engaged an itinerant snake
charmer TO exhibit snakes to party of
guests. Observing that some people
have peculiar faculty for handling
snakes. Mr.. Buckland mentions that in
a work published not long ago by Mr..
+. ID. Simson. n retired India civilian.
the following prescription for catching
cobrns is given:
when yon come upon your cobra
make him rear up and expand his
hood. He generally does this quick
enough; but. should he delay. whistle
TO him. initiating the snake-charmers.
He will then certainly raise his head.
Then, with small cane or stick. or
the ramrod of a gun, gently press his
head to the ground. The snake will
not object; he seems rather to like 1t.
When you press his head lightly to the
ground with the stick in your left hand,
you should seize the snake firmly with
your right. close behind the head. hold
ing his neck rather tightly; then let GO
the stick aud catch hold of the tail.
The snake is powerless. and you car
do what you like with it. You should
have an earthen pot brought and let th
snake pass into il, as snakes will nj
ways go into any dark place.
AIR. Simson says that he had an elt
phant driver. or mahout. who was
great snake-catcher and very reckless
He writes thus:
al never saw him press down th
snake with rod such as / have d.
scribed; but he caught numbers
snakes of all sorts. and sent them aliv
To his house. His movements were 5.
rapid. and generally in jungle wit
his back to me, that / never made on
exactly why he did not get bit H..
used to jump off his elephant. leavin,
the animal in my guidance. and in ;
moment afterward he had the snake
neck in his hand. He said he eaugii
them by the tails. swung them unde
his arm, and held them there while ht
slipped his hand up TO the back of til
head. He then gave the snake som
Of his clothing to amuse itself with
and On which 10 expend its venom III,
then wrapped the reptiles up in a looss
cloth and took very little trouble witt
them. | have seen him catch snake,
scores of times; but / rather discour
aged him, as did not like the idea O
having live venomous snakes at large
or even in earthen pots or boxes A
the same time lie received good price:
for his snakes
Some people who are used to hand
ling snakes seem to lose all feeling O
apprehension regarding them. Sil
Joseph Fayrer had no fear of them
But he was very nearly bitten one day
He and friend were busy examining
the peculiar anatomy of a portion of /
cubra's tail. The cobra was in bo,
and native assistant was supposed t,
be holding down the lid of the box 5,
as to allow only the tail to protrude
Somehow the native became careless
and he relaxed his hold on the lid, 5,
that the cobra suddenly put out it
head to see what Sir Joseph Fayre
was doing with its tail. Luckily it wa
more pleased than offended at tn,
liberties which We're being taken with
its tail. but it was unpleasant for Sil
Joseph Fayrer to find his face almos
touching the cobra's mouth.
Dr. Richards was another officer
who assisted Sir Joseph Fayrer in hi
experiments with snakes. DIR. Rich
ards came one day to see lady patien
at my house. He arrived IN a palan
/ quin which was put down on tn,
I pnrtico. He went to the lady's room
nd paid her brief visit, aud whel
/ he came out of the room he went to tn,
| palauquin and brought over to show
me in order to prove by experiment il
nay presence that a particular kind o
wood. which native fakir declared tc
be an antidote to snake poison, was o
no value. 1t is unnecessary to recapit
uiate the experiments. but his familiar
ity with the deadly snake was quit
:tlar ming.-LoRgmdn's Magazine.