Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-22
CHARMING A SNAKE.
The True Secret Of the Reptiles Apparent
| Obedience.


Obsdience.
From st. Nicholas
snake charmer can, by q simple motion OF
his hand, make q moving snake stop instantly.
A snake is a most timid animal His eyes,
while dull to color and form, are quick to mo-
ton, especially If it be rapid. II any large
thing moves very quickly near him he gets
frightened and scurries off, while at certain
distances the motion stops him ii he be
moving. He stops from establishment fear or
the wish to see what 1t is that moves. Hence
he glides on, unconscious of the charmer's
presence near him SO long as the latter remains
perfectly quiet the snake doesn't know him
from a tree or rock.
In India and Africa the charmers pretend
that the snakes dance to the music, but they
do not, for they never hear it. snake has
no external ears. and perhaps gets evidence
OF sound only through the skin when sound
causes bodies in contact with him to vibrate.
They hear also through the nerves of the
tongue, but do not at all comprehend sound
| as we do. But the snakes eyes are very much
alive to the motions of the charmer, or to the
moving drumsticks Of his confederate; and.
being alarmed, he prepares to strike. A
dancing cobra (and no other snakes dance) il
simply cobra alarmed and in a posture OF
attack. He is not dancing to the music, but ID
making ready to strike the charmer.
1t happened that a few OF US were standing
one day in field near my own house, when we
saw large black and white snake gliding
along. 1t took refuge in a bunch Of grass an d
weeds about fifty yards away.
Don't kill him." said /, land I will show
you something you never saw before. III make
that snake follow me into the house without
ever touching him."
changed my dress, reaprearing in a moment
clad in q navy blue dressing gown reaching
down to within an inch Of the ground. Now II
is necessary to mention that it was q very
calm day. The sun was shining overhead and
not cloud was in the sky. approached the
yards from where he was hiding. stood
still as statue. with my hands hanging mo-
tionless by my sides and my face toward him.
then asked them to go to the bunch OF
grass by the farther side and to chase him out
| SO that he would make his exit an the side next
to me. But before they came near he had al
ready glided of and made directly toward me.
l was gazing straight at him as he approached
me, and without turning my head or moving
my arms began to move gently backward.
Still he followed. turned TO the left; he still
followed. He was not angry-he did not want
to attack me, for he glided on very gently. II
moved to his right he did so too; went to
his left, he did the same.
allowed him to come within yard Of me
and then asked the others, but still with my
eyes CAREFULLY on the snake, 70 QlroCt me III
backward route, since could not turn my
head to direct myself. as I had to keep facing
him. They sent me by q very winding route,
but he followed every turn till l got to the
door.
When finally sat down gently on the step,
he glided in beneath my dressing gown and
coiled himself on the toes Of my shoes. They
lifted the skirt Of the dressing gown to look at
him, and he was frightened, and shot past me
Into the door, taking refuge among the furni-
ture. picked him up and added him to my
already large collection of live snakes.
Now, they didn't drive him toward me, for
they had remained afar off. nearly as far from
him as they had been at first
How did you do it 2" they inquired: and I,
In answer. asked them to explain It.
One believed had some food about me to
attract him. Another thought hadrubbed on
my dressing gown some drug of which he liked
the odor. On being assured that these guesses
were wrong, they remembered that I had kept
my eye on him all the time and never once
turned from him. They asked il that was q
necessary part of it. l said "Yes otherwise
could not keep control OF him.
Then they said. 1T is magnetism or hypno-
tism. 1t is by the power of your eye that you
NO" answered. ait was not nv eyes that
drew him. the attraction was more general;
but yet it was neither food. nor drink, nor odor
OF any kind He was attracted toward me
very powerfully, indeed. but the cause was
neither chemical nor electrical
six words contain the answer; six more the
explanation. He wanted to hide beneath me,
as the shadow was tempting, and he didn't
know that was living thing"