The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-11-28
EGYPTIAN SNAKE CHAMBERS.
Account OF Performance Said to Have
|ss ~. Taken Place III Cairo

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Account OF . Performance Said to Have
Taken Place Iii Cairo.
The following story Of "a snake.
charmer' is borrowed FROM Paris pa
per. The reader is expected to use his
own discretion as to believing or ex
planning it. The incident is said to hav,
taken place in Cairo, where the narrator
Monsieur Vigouroux, while walking the
streets with a friend fell in with 4
"mild-looking young man" who pro.
fessed to be a snake-charmer. The two
visitors engaged MIN to come to their
hotel the next dayand give them an ex-
hibition of his powers 8 H..
: Guards were stationed around the
building. to prevent the charmer from,
getting into it before the appointed
time. When he arrived he was let in y
the first courtyard. He was asked if there
were any snakes there. :;r%
eyes," he replied, "a great many" -
AS a precautionary measure he was
conducted into an interior court in the
center of the palace. There he was
asked if he could catch snake. Tho
charmer whistled for few seconds, ant.
then listened attentively.
"Ies," said he, "there is snake OF,
this side," pointing to the wall. \
bargain was then made with him, the
rate being. a shilling a snake. He i'm
mediately went to work with the al.
of a man who understood his business
and was perfectly sure of the result.
Standing in the center of the court.
gazing ut the wall where he said the
reptile was concealed, he began to re-
cite 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
o.! God. He also invoked Solomon and
some celebrated Mussulman personagrs.
While he was reciting this formula be
sometimes stood perfectly straight,
sometimes he leaned forward, and last.
ly he fell on his knees. when he had
finished he picked up little rod tina
lay beside him, and 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 4
hole in the wall. The snake-charmcr
grabbed the head and pulled out a long.
thin and wriggling reptile. He made
ii fasten its fangs in his garment. Then
he pulled violently and showed the
snakes teeth in the stuff. At last he
threw the reptile on the ground, en-
cited it, and tossed it into his leather
bag. -..
"How did you know" he was asked.
that there was snake in that wall ?"
Il smelt him." was the answer.
And certainly there seemed to be no
room to suspect 4 trick. One of TIL.
party remarked that the cha1mer might
possibly have snakes concealed in his
clothes. The, fellow immediately threw
or his blue blouse, which was his op]v
covering, ail shoot it in the presence
OF the assemblage. .. He was asked Z:
there were any more snakes in that
court. After a moments inspection h:
replied:
I'm this wall there is a big one and
little one."
lie was told Ito catch the little one
first He recited his prayer, and added
10 it 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
isl"
The head was sticking out of the hole.
lie grabbed it, pulled out the snake. and
broke it's 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 in utter amazement. Then he
went to work again.
1T was the big snakes turn now. Hc
was yanked out like the other two. Not
withstanding the apparent impcssibili.
ty of fraud. the thing was so surpris-
ing that doubts were still expressed.
Let him come into the garden" said
one of the spectators, land catch snakes
there; then we viii be convinced"
The charmer was led out into the
garden. Near heap of rubbish ana
weeds he began to whistle, then he an
nounced snake. g.
Eyes, there are two" said he. Then
STOPPING down he pulled one out, and.
as he had left his leather bag in tn,
courtyard. he put the head of the rep
tile into his mouth and held it there
while he secured the second.-N. Y.
Sun.
W1nA>pVul r~n ~~.,.