Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-08-08
Deryishes Dino on Snakes.

Escaped is here-himsef would tell the rest
That may be all very well according
to Byron, but the thirty odd Mahome-
tan monks" who gave revolving yet
fascinating performance in the Madison
Square Garden Amphitbeatre Fri
day afternoon couldn't tell comprehen-
sively in their twisted ISoudanese what
they are here for to save their Highest
Priest.
All they perhaps know is that an
Egyptian named Malluk came to them
in the wilds of their native deserts and
told them that they had an opportunity
TO cnliven the world and of more i'm
portance to fill their pockets with gold.
Then the sacred impresario journey
ed over to this country and had an in
teryiew with Vice President Wharton
and Manager James w. Morrissey, of
the Madison Square Garden Company.
Mr.. Malluk, who is clever linguist,
said that after liftime of labor he had
persuaded a troupe-I beg pardon, con-
gregation-of bowling and dancing der
wishes to come to New York.
Many people of the stage and repre-
sentatives of the press were invited to
attend the trial performance, which be-
gan promptly at three o'clock and con-
tinued long after every ones dinner
hour.
1t was precisely three o'clock when
out of the narrow dressing room doors
in the east end of the building there
entered the High Priest and Star Show
man of the caravan, Alley Hassan.
Slowly chanting weird and far
from musical hymn he proceeded down
the long aisle to a semi-circle ofbear
skins at the west end of the building.
Two Turkish flags (they had harps
on them and looked like Irish banners)
were placed on chairs near by with a
big canvas sack which contained snakes,
as afterward learned, and other prop
critics.
The Highest priest seated himself on
the biggest bear skin and proceeded to
cross his half bare legs in the most
comfortable fashion imaginable. He
was followed by the other howlers and
dancers, who, after discarding their red
sandals, did likewise.
The priests were all attired in pic
turesque blue, red and parti-colored
Turkish trousers and blouses. Some
of them have long wavy, black hair
Others are cropped closely. The howl
ers wore the ordinary turban, while the
dancers wore their native Ly6ads or
high hats of felt.
For an hour the half thousand spec
tators were bored beyond expression.
The actors did nothing but shake their
copper colored cheeks from side to side
and wall away in the most desultory
style. After the ostensible mental prep
aration the show, however, assumed a
highly grewsome and spectacular in
terest.
High Priest Hassan, along about four
o'clock having continually contortioned
and wriggled his body up to that time,
ran his hand in the property sack and
drew therefrom Sheepshead Bay moe
casin snake, by actual measurement
three feet and half inchs long.
At the sight of the snake the der
wishes seemed to so distracted. Their
ill-shapen, bony bodies rocked from
side to side in an apparent agony of
despair, while mixed rivulets of perspi-
ton and tears streamed down their
faces in copious draughts.
Their incantations grew gradually
louder and louder.
The faint shafts Of sunlight falling
through the big glass dome of the am
phitheatre lent peculiar pictureque-
ness to the scene. Quickly the move
ments of the creatures became more
violent. Hassan wrapped the serpent
i'll two folds about his neck. The long
fangs ofthe reptile glistened against his
face, and the serpent's hiss could be
easily heard by the nearest spectators.
After another tuneless chant one of the
priests rose from the rank, and ap-
preaching the conductor took the snake
to himself. He sang lullaby to the
sacrifice and with a smile bit off the
head, A crunching noise followed and
there was no mistaking the fact that
the gentleman with the yellow face had
begun his dinner.
In twinkling he was joined by two
of his comrades who ate some snake
also.
The dancers meantime remained per-
fectly quiet. Suddenly, after about a
foot of the snake had been eaten, they
began an ungainly dance. During the
dance one of these Terpsichorean ar
lists stopped kicking up his heels for a
moment, the beating of the tom-toms
also ceased, and he distinguished him
self by eating a glass bottle. / secured
q portion of it, and it is not made OF
those that are sometimes
eaten by magicians.
The performance was not encored at
any stage, much to manager Mulluk's
disappointment.
Most of the audience left before the
show was over, after a strange and not
all appetizing experience. Most of them
were much disgusted.
The troupe of of fanatics will be TAX
en- to Chicago, where they will play a
lengthy engagement.-N. Y. Herald.