Middletown transcript., 1898-03-19
HYPNOTIZED BY A MONSTER
SNAKE.

HYPNOTIZED BY MONSTER
SNAKE.
"What in modern days we have cal
led hypnotism is a thing which, under
one name or another, or unnamed, has
existed as long as animate life in the
world" said DR.. A. G. Brayman, who
has devo ed considera be study to hyp-
notism both as an abstract science and
in its bearing on medical pratice.
From the earliest times in civilized
rural communities, as among other
savage peoples, the belief in witch doc
tors-meD ard women who cuie all
ments by incantetions of one sort or
another-has prevailed. No doubt
these occult beelers often accomplish
all they profess and the secret of the
cure is the hypnotic influence they ex-
ercise upon the mind of the patient.
sin lower forms of ninal nature we
find manifestations of this power in
the charming Of birds and animals by
snakes. The thing that led me first to
study this subject was when in by
hood l saw a frog fascinated By snake.
The snake, which was about three feet
in length, of non-venomous species,
lay coiled by the roadside, its head rest
ing upon its coils, the forked tongue
darting from the mouth, while its
eyes were fixed on the frog, which sat
motionless gazing on The snake a foot
away. This was as they were when ]
found them; how they come together l
could not tell. There apparently was
nothing to prevent the frog from hop
ping away out of danger, but he chose to
squat there within the reach of his in
veterate enemy. had an errand that
took me a mile beyond. 1 left the two
as they were; did my errand. and hur-
ried back. The snake had retreated
into the long grass, where l found it
with the frog, half swallowed, in its
mouth; the frog was fully alive, but
was asking no resistance or attempt TO
get away from the snake.
"Ten years later, on the Amazon
River, l bad astartllng evidence Of the
hypnotizing power of tee snake family.
In my occupation of collecting bird
skins for mounting was threading a
forest path, carrying in hand gun load
ed with very fine bird shot while my In
dian guide followed, carrying heavier
gun charged with buckshot, to use in
case we should come upon deer or a
jaguar. A bird of brilliant plumage
flew in tree which oyerhung the path +,
and as l peered into the foliage trying
to discern the bird l became aware of
something swaying before my eyes and
a flashing prismatic colors, producing
on me something of the impression of
a kaleidoscope. So unobtrusively had
this thing come into view that it dawn
ed only slowly on my mind, preoccu-
pied with the search for the bird, that
the object so softly reaching toward me
was the head and six feet of the neck
and body Of an enormous water boa.
From the mouth the forked tongue was
shooting and vibrating and changing
lights were from its eyes bent upon me.
With my cooked gun in my hand did
not think to use it or to run away, but
stood gazing literally spellbound, as the
snake, slipping from the bough on
which it lay, advanced its head toward
me.
II heard my guide shout from behind
me. The snakes head drew back with
an angry hiss as the Indian crowded
past me, raising his gun to his shoulder
as he did so. and with the loud crack,
crack! of the two barrels he seized me
with both arms and rushed me back
away from the place. Then saw the
snake, which had dropped from the
tree, writhing and twisting in the path
AN immense fellow, twenty-feet long
and of girth in proportion. Its head
was shattered by the two charges of
buckshot, but the commissions of the
body we're enough to show the reptiles
enormous strength and give an idea of
how I should have Jared If once it had
thrown its coils around me. The boa
would have done this in few moments
more, the guide told me, and if he had
not rushed to my aid l would have
stood still, fascinated, and never
stirred to avoid my fate. In other
words, the snake had charmed or hyp-
Noticed me beyond all power Of resist |
ance or retreat.-New York Sun.
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