The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-28
SNAKE CHARMING FAKIRS.
Ingenious Tricks Played by the Pro-
fessional Fakir Of the Orient.

fessional Fakir Of the Orient
81 can tell you something interesting
about snakes in India" says Capt W. /
Tottenham OF the British India army, |
to Boston Traveller man. have
made special study Of snakes in that
country As a result got at the |
bottom of the great snake charmer
frauds, and also, think, made an inn
portant discovery in connection with the
cure of venemous snake bites. At least
| never failed in my experiments.
"When | was stationed at kurmauL
in the northwest provinces of India, |
occupied the usual officers bungalow,
with large garden around the build
ing One day my servants complained
of the snakes in the garden and asked
if they might send for a snake charmer
OF course | agreed. The usual profess
ional appeared, and | consented to the
usual terms, SO cents a head for each
caught Then he set to work and |
followed and watched him closely
Gle went to the stable first and COM
menced blowing a horn. Presently
snake came crawling out of hole and
made toward him. He suddenly
grabbed it by the neck and put it into
a basket This was repeated three
times Once he got a bite on the
knuckle They were all cobras from
three to four feet long, and l watched
for results. He pulled a pebble from
his pocket, numbled some inCantations
over it, and then bound it over his
wound, which he showed me. | only
Chuckled.
"Two things had struck me forcibly.
One was that cobras do not climb Of
their own accord They are ground
snakes Again it struck me that he
seemed to know where to 60 for his
snake each time. | ordered him to
catch some more, but he declared that
was ALL insisted on his trying and
he marched around blowing his horn,
but no more snakes came.
"Then | thought it time to turn the
tables. l paid him over the three
rupees and seized the basket with the
three snakes He looked alarmed.
sent for my sword and block of wood.
He asked me what l was going to do.
| told him that the snakes were mine
by right of purchase and | was going
to cut off their heads He fell on his
knees and writhed at my feet as only a
Hindoo can, imploring me to have
mercy upon him. | consented to give
him back bis snakes if he would make
a clean and open confession to me.
He did 50. He said it was their Gus
tom in the trade to go out at the proper
season and hunt a mother cobra with
her brood
They kill the mother and capture
the fifteen to twenty little fve.inCh
snakes which constitute the brood.
They are too young to be harmful.
Then they pull out the two eye teeth,
which are the fangs that kill. They
set to work to train the snakes. They
feed them on basin of milk, and blow
the horn when feeding time arrives
After three or four months the snake,
get to understanding the signal anC
come from all parts Of the room to feeC
at the basin. By this time they are
grown up to a decent size and all ready
for business.
"The charmer goes round the nigh
before and plants his snakes in different
places Next day he approaches the
premises casually and offers to rid the
place of snakes at 50 cents a head. In
variably his offer is accepted, as you
can understand. Then he goes anc
blows his horn The snakes, which art
all starving with hunger, promptly come
to the well-known call for food, anC
then he catches and pouches them
No one wants snakes particularly, anC
his humble suppIication to take ava,
the snakes for tanning purposes, is in
yariably asSented to by the goodnaturec
Anglo-Indiln. In the course of
week he makes a good deal of money.