The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-04-03

Terms, 90 a Year in Adyance.
GRAND MARAIs. MINI. APRIL s. 1897.
EGYPTIAN SNAKE CfiARMERS.
Account OF Performances Said to Hav,
5ss5ss#3 Taken Place la Cairo.
The following story Of snake,
charlnero IS borrowed from o Paris pa
per. The reader is expected to use hi
own discretion as TO believing or ex
planning it. The incident is said to hay,
taken place in Cairo, where the narrator
Monsieur VIGOROUS, while wal king IL.
streets with friend fell in with !;
I 'mild-lo boxing young man. who pro
fessed to be a snake-charmer. The two
Il visitors engaged him to come to theil
hotel the next day and give them an ex
hibition of his powers. . h. N s4,3 "A.
Guards were stationed around the
building to prevent the charmer from
4 getting into it before the appointed
4 time. When he arrived he was let in i.
the hrstcourtyard. He was asked if there
4 were any snakes there. AT
s'Yes," he replied, "agreat 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 a few seconds, and
then listened attentively. E /,
eyes," said he, there is snake OF,
this side,' pointing to the WALL
bargain was then made with him, the
rate being shilling a snake. He i'm
mediately went to work with the ali.
OF q 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 q prayer or conjurat ionsi ii Arabic.
IN which he addressed the serpent t, say
ing in substance that everything and
every creature must yield to the power
OF God. He also invoked Solomon anl
4 some celebrated Mussulman personages
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
III finished he picked up a little rod tia
lay beside him, and scratched the wall
with it, advancing toward the doorsof
che building leading to the court. AT,
the door he stopped and said:
Here he is; come and look at him"
8 The party advanced, and on a line
with his arm at the place where he has.
directed the rod, they distinctly say
the head of q snake protruding from &:
hole in the wall. The snake-charmeE
grabbed the head and pulled out a long
thin, and wriggling reptile. He mad
it hasten its fangs in his garment. Their
he pulled violently and showed thc
snakes teeth in the stuff At last he
threw the reptile on the ground, ex@
cited it, and tossed il into his leather
bag.
How did you know he was asked
that there was snake in that wall p.
Il emelt him." was the answer.
And certainly there seemed to be no
room to suspect trick. One Of the.
party remarked that the cia1mer miga.
possibly have snakes concealed in his
clothes. The fellow mediately threw
of his blue blouse, which was his onl
covering, and shook it in the presence
OF the assemblage. He was asked ::
there were any more snakes in tina {.
Il After moments inspection h.:
replied: # ~,
In this wall there is big one and
"a little one" !, ~ TIT.
@> He was told to catch the little on,
first. He recited his prayer, and adds;
10 1t command to. the big snake to liz
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 h,.
isl" - ,,
The head was sticking out of the hole
He grabbed it, pulled out the snake. and
broke its fangs in the manner d described
above. But the reptile bit him in the
arm y and drew blood. The bite didn't
bother him. He threw the snake on
the. ground among the spectators, who
stood in utters emaze1nent. Then he
went TO work again. = ].
~ 1t was the big snakes turn now. HI
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 spectat ors, land catch snakee
there; then we will be convinced
The charmer was led out into the
garden. Near. a heap Of rubbish an
+ weeds he began to whistle, then he ar
nounced a snake.
Yes, there are two . said he. The.
STOPPING down he pulled one out, arr
as he had left his leather bag in IT,.
courtyard, he put the head Of the res
tile into his mouth and held it ther5
while he secured the second Y
+ Sun. # .:.s s$
Wonderful Feather Work. #
Among the strange tribes of men
about whom little is known. are the