The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1899-01-07


Washington Star.
EGYPTIAN SNAKE CHARMERS.
Account Of Performance Said to Have
Taken Place In Cairo.
The following story of a Snake
charmer" is borrowed from Paris pa
per. The reader is expected to use his
oYn discretion as to believing or ex-
planning it. The incident is said to have
taken place in Cairo where the narrator,
Monsieur Vigouroux, while walking the
streets with q friend fell in with
"mild-looking young man" who pro-
fessed to be snake-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
building to prevent the charmer from
getting into it before the appointed
time. When he arrived he was let in NJ
the first courtyard. He was asked if there
were any snakes there.
eyes," ne replied, "a great many"
AS precautionary measure he was
conducted into an interior court in the
center Of the palace. There he was
asked if he could catch snake. The
charmer whistled for few seconds, and
then listened attentively.
''Yes," said he, 'there is snake OH
this side," pointing to the wall. \
bargain was then made with him, the
rate being shilling snake. He i'm
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 ut the wall where he said the
reptile was concealed, he began to re-
cite a 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 personagrs
While he was reciting this formula he
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 that
| iay 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, ard on line
| with his arm at the place where he had
directed the rod, they distinctly saw
the head of snake protruding from a
| hole in the wall. The snake-charme,
| grabbed the head and pulled out long.
thin and wriggling reptile. He made
it 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, ex-
| cited it, and tossed it into his leather
I bag.
"How did you know" he was asked
| shat there was snake in that wall?
81 .smelt. him." was the answer.
And certainly there seemed to be nc
room to suspect trick. One of the
party remarked that the chamer nigh
| possibly have, snakes concealed in hi.
clothes. The fellow Immediately threw
of. his blue blouse, which was his onl,
covering, and shook it in the presence
Of the assemblage. He was asked Z
there were any more snakes in thai
court. After a moments inspection h.
replied:
"In this wall there is big one anG
a little one"
He was told to catch the little on,
first. He recited his prayer, and adder
to it command to the big snake to Ii.
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. ant
broke its fangs in the manner describe;
above. But the reptile bit him in tn
Earm and drew blood. The bite ditln'
bother him. He threw the snake OF
the ground among the spectators, VIII.
stood in utter amazement.f Then h
went TO work again.
It was the big snakes turn now. Fl
! was yanked out like the othertwo. Not
withrtanding the apparent impossibil
itty OF fraud, the thing was SO surPris
! ing that doubts were still expressed.
"Let him come into the garden sal,
one of the spectators. "and catch snake
there; then we will be convinced. -
The charmer was led out into th
garden. Near heap of rubbish an
weeds he began to whistle. then he an