Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-26
can now say with certainty,

At present central and western Africa is
the great region for snake worship; and if
the reader wants any additional proof of the
truth that religion, or more properly super
stition, Is hereditary, be can find it in the fact
that the negroes in some parts of the West
Indies are returning to snake worship. Tho
great serpent temples of Dahonley and that
of Whydah have often been visited by white
men, and smaller temples in that section of
Africa are common. The great temple is
simply very long shed, closed in on both
sides and at one end, but open ct the other
end, and literally lined with writing mon
sters among which the black priests walk
with innpunity.
They show some sense, however that Is
the priests, in having none but large snakes
for it is only the smaller snakes that are ven
ornous, while the great boas pythons and the
like ara quite harmless when not hungry.
Indeed, in as highly civilized country as
Brazil, boas of six, eight and even ten feet
in length are kept about the house as cats are
in the north and for the same pJIrpose-to
destroy vernin. They are much more eff
cient than cats, FOR they not only clean ont
rats and mice but make it very unpleasant
for many sorts of insects. 4 similar custom
prevailed in Asia Minor and parts Of Mace
don IN ancient times, and of this fact advan-
tage was taken 20 bolster up oneof the great
est irnpostures in history
Alexander of Abonotscaus was discipleof
ApollonigS Of TyaHa. from whom ne claimed
TO have acquired supsrnal powers He or
CANNED a little band of the most eypert
knaves in Asia Minor and employed them TO
collect and report to hin secret affairs IN the
lives of various persons likely to consult him.
He took a very beautiful spotted snake OF the
KIND common about the houses Of Pella, In
Aacsdon, and there regarded as sacred; on
the head OF the reptile be fastened small
frame, with delicately painted facs
and human head, the mouth opening by q
hair string, and to this was attached a COW
ering drawn far down over the serpent's body,
where its termination was slinfuily disguised
by painting it like the snakes skin. To his
infatuated dupes this creature was 3 sacred
snake, with the head OF q god
By an ingenious system OF Jugglery he pre-
tended to discover this sllazy deity In an egg
at the bottom OF pool sacred 70 EscuIa-
Plus, and such crowds came 10 its shrine,
and such riches thereby accrued to the place,
thai the people became ardent supporters OF
rte fraud, and Il was extremely dangerous
for any one to question Il Indeed, some
who claimed to have discovered the fraud
were killed, and Lucian whose account is
the only one extantl scarcely escaped from
the district with ais life. Alexander was an
accomplished ve3rriloquist, and when with
his hand on its bsck, tne serpent god would
rear its head and open its mouth 70 its ave
stricken worshipers, Il would apparently utter
such sentences as these:
Il am GIykon-ths sweet one. I am
Apolo-the resto-sr Of life, the giver OF
health and beauty. To women / grant baau-
tiful children; To the sick health: TO aIl the
faithful. prosperity. The gods are 10 longer
silent Apollo speaks 10 ,ilea and the unbe-
levers are dumb"
With this, o. course. went exhortationS to
contribute hherally and 70 worship TIE gods:
for this was in toe Second century OF tie
Christian era and faith u them had nearly
dscd out Alexander ran long and snccea-
fI race Of fraud ami left many vorstiparx,
and this appears 20 have been the last casea 1
the kind among any civilized people, to1 1
soon prevailed IN Asa Minor, 4
and after it came AohanmeiAnisEn- = nich 4
has still less use for snakes
TIE Moquis Of Arizona DO no. ex.cty 4
wo.saip SNAKES bot they use them in thar
religious Ceremonies and, unlike Tie Negroes
they use polsoEocs ones Nasurzlrts know
how easy Il Is 70 handle snakes without css-
ting bit IL one goes a. i, geatly, and many
persons N the rural regions have tssea noted
for their aoiliry TO Go 50 Nearly all Anea-
can Indians originally lad a-sl2ecs aoas !