The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-10-03
EGYPTIAN SNAKE CtiARMERs.

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EGyPTlAN SNAKE cHARMERs.
Account Of : Performance Said TO nave
Taken Place Is Cairo.
The Glowing story OF a snake.
lscharmer' IS borrowed from q Paris pa.
per The reader is expected to use his
own discretion as to believing or ex
planning it. The Incidents said to have
taken place in. Cairo, where the narrator,
Monsieur Vigouro while walking the
streets with 9 friend fell in with d
mild ooking young man. who pro
fessed to be q ake-charmer. The two
visitors engaged him to come to their
hotel the next day and give them an ex-
hibition of his powers.
Guards were stationed around the
uildding to prevent the .charmer from
getting into it before the appointed
time. When he arrived he was let inN1
the first court yard. He was asked if there
were any snakes there.
~ Yes, " he replied, g great many .
As q precautio nary measure he was
conducted into an interior court il the
center Of the palace. There he was
asked # he could catch snake. The
charmer whistled for few seconds, and
then Listened attentively.
Yes" said he, There is a snake OH
this side, " pointing to the wall. "A
bargain was then made with him, the.
rate being shilling a snake He inn
mediately went to work with the air
OF man who understood his business
and was perfectly sure Of the result,
Standing in the center of the court.
gazing at the wall where he said the
reptile was concealed, he began to re-
cite 9 prayer or conjuration in Arabic,
in which he addressed the serpent, say
ing in substance that everything and
every creature must yield to the power.
OF God. He also invoked Solomon and
some celebrated Mussulman personapes.
While he was reciting this formula be
sometimes stood perfectly straight,
sometimes he leaned forward, and Last
" he fell on his knees. When he had
finished he picked up a little rod that
lay beside him, apd scratched the wall
with it, advancing toward the door Of
the building leading to the court. At
the door he stopped and said:
Here he is; come and look at him.
The party advanced, and on a line
with his arm at the place where he had
directed the rod, they distinctly saw
the head of a snake protruding from
Shole in the wall. The snalxe-charmer
grabbed the head and pulled out a long,
thin and wriggling reptile. He made.
it fasten its fangg:s in his garment. Then
he pulled violently and showed the
snakes teeth in the stuff. At last he
threw the reptile on the ground, .ex-
cited it, and tossed it into his leather
bag.
"How did you know he was asked,
that there was snake in that wall ?'''.
~, smell him" was the answer.
And certainly there seemed to be no
room to suspect a trick One Of the
party remarked that the cha1uner 1nigL..
possibly have snakes concealed in his
clothes. The fellow meliately threw
of his blue blouse, which was his only
covering and shook it in the presence
OF the assemblage. He was asked Il
there were any more snakes ii that
court. After a moments inspection b:
replied; .s.,.
I'm this wall there is a big one and
a little one'' s
He was told to catch the little one
first. He recited his prayer, and added
70 70 it q command to the big snake to lie:
still while he captured the little one,
Then he proceeded with his wand along
the wall, as before. When he reached
the door he called us, saying: Here he
is!''
The head was sticking out Of the hole.
He grabbed it, pulled out the snake, and /.
broke its fangs in the manner described
above: But the reptile bit him in the
arm and drew blood. The bite didn't
bother him. He threw the snake on
the ground among the spectators, who
stood Ia utter amazement. Then he
went to work again.
It was the big snakes turn now. Hc
was yanked out like the other two. Not
withstanding the apparent impossibili-
ty Of fraud, the thing was SO surpris-
ing that doubts were still expressed,
Let him come into the garden,'' said
one of the spectator and catch snakes
there; then we will be convinced. &
# The charmer was led out into the
garden. Near 9 heap Of rubbish anu
weeds he began to whistle, then he an
nounced a snake.
ssYe<s there a,.a +1x,<, I, 90 IA I, Z. TIT,
STOPPING down he pulled one out, and,
as he had left his leather bag. in the
court ard, he put the head Of the reps
tile into his mouth and held it there
while he secured the second. Y.
Sun: Il.
s5ssS ss ..
Wonderful Feather Work. rs IA 4:
Among the strange tribes of men
about whom little is known are the
ChamaeOcoS living on the l1nner Pa n.