The Cairo bulletin., 1909-08-03
CLEVER TRICKS OF FAKIRs.
Schemes Used by Indian Snake
Charmers While Handling Dead
~ Cobras

The main contention Of the snake
charmer, whether he be East Indian
or Yankee, is that he Is absolutely
immune from the bites of the most
poisonous snakes, and the manner in
which he allows himself to be bitten
by cobra or adder never fails to
impress, not only the native but also
the white man unacquainted with the
tricks OF these humbugs. For hum
bugs they really are. although il
must be confessed that they provide
a very interesting and fascinating en-
tertainment.
As matter OF fact, snake charm
ers, almost without exception play
either with snakes whose fangs and
poisonous glands have been remoy-
ed or use nOnvenomous reptiles which
they pass of as dangerous varieties
And when they have attempted to
charm snakes without removing the
poison their exhibition has invariably
come to a tragic end, in spite of their
skill and dexterity in handling and
the supposed magical antidotes which
they carry with them
OFTEN this is simply a piece of tree
root, for which great medicinal quail
ties are claimed when applied to the
wound Some astonishing and mex
plleable cures, however have really
been brought about by what is known
as the snake stone. This is about the
size of ten-cent piece, dark in col
or, and is said to be taken from the
palate OF a snakes mouth, although
only one snake in thousand has it.
When wetted and applied to "A
wound ii appears to have some sue
tlonal property, by which ii takes a
arm hold of The skin. and its removal
requires some force 1t is said to
draw the poison out of the wound
almost inslantaneously
There are really two kinds OF East
Indian snake charmers. viz. the jug
glers, who profess to hypnotic snakes
by the musical pipe and other means
and make them perform all sorts of
tricks while in that condition, and
the professional snake finder, who
Giles with which il may be infested
The snake finder works by smell
as we'll as by music, or at least he
asserts that he has an educated sense
OF smell which enables him 10 dis
cover the proximity OF concealed
snakes; which is simply another
piece of blum, for the arrangements
made by the snake finder easily per.
init Of tricllery.
When native in India thinks there
are snakes in his house he sends foi
the "charmer' to remove them. He
arrives with an assistant, d crowd OF
natives and the show begins. The
audience is ranged In semicircle
round the entrance 10 the dwelling,
and within this ring the two perform
ers move slowly about, playing their
primitive pipes. with the object of
Turing the snake from its conceal
mcnt.
Then one OF the two men will en-.
ter the house, cautiously peer this
way and that, while the onlookers
watch carefully for the capture Dart
inc into a dark corner. he will make
grab, and, amid the cries of the
delighted audience, emerge with q
fine cobra held tightly by the neck.
4 close examination of the snakes
mouth, however. would reveal the fact
that it was quite harmless The snake
is in fact, pet animal, carefully
concealed in the first instance in the
loose folds of the clothing of the
"charmer," and is smartly produced
at the psychological moment
The house owner is, however. thor.
oughly satisfied that his house is rid
of the scourge, pays the snake charm
er his fee, and the latter then makes
OF in search of fresh fields and pas.
lures w.--Baltimore Sun.