The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-09-21
A Willy ORIENTAL
Guile of a Tricky Native Snake
Charmer In India.
GATHERED IN THE SERPENTS.
1t Was No Trouble to Him to Lure the
Reptiles Into His Basket, and the
Supply Was In No Danger of Giving
Out and Losing Him a Job.

Supply Was In No Danger or Giving
Out and Losing Him a Job.
Among the numerous Objectionable
and dangerous creatures peculiar to
| the orient none is more repulsive than
the snake. One shudderS i~nyoluntarily
as one thinks of its wiggling body and
vicious characteristics. During my
residence in India | never felt safe
from it's presence. | had my closets,
bed and even my bathtub searched ev.
cry day lest one should be found coiled
up in some corner, writes Eliza X.
Van Bergen in the Christian Intelli-
genccr.
| was always on the watch for the
creatures and ever in mortal terror of
treading on me. 1t never occurred TO
me to sleep without a light, and a
stick was always near at hand lest |
might find one unawares and be I'M
prepared to meet it. | even looked
upon my thin mosquito curtain as a
slight protection, for it would at least
break its fall should a snake tumble
down suddenly from the ceiling.
The creatures have a decided pref
ercuce for cool, damp places and often
choose the bathroom and sometimes
the tub for their habitatiOn. much TO
the discomfort Of its rightful habitue.
1t is not unalloyed bliss to live in Il
place infested with sCrpents. With
such formidable enemies, one never
forgets to be cautions, nor to guard
against their presence and sudden at.
tack. It makes one alert to be i'm the
midst of danger and adds spice to life.
Well. as | started out to say, my
garden vas infested with snakes, and
| was persuaded to have a native
Charmer summoned to lure them
away. His hidcous occupation, weird
incantatiOns and strange pets sur
round the snake charmcr with a pc
cuIiar fascination, His magnetism
and skill are considered phenomenal
in the east.
This specimen was tall and lank and
had deep, CavCrnOus eyes and an alb
stractcd air. Some of the creatures
were coiled around his wrist. which
made him still more repellant. He
handled them as if they we're per
fectly harmless. About the neck he
wore n chain with n flute attached.
Two other jugglers accompanied him,
similarly attired. but minus the
snakes. One carried a closed basket
on his arm.
He stopped at a respectful distance
to make his "salaam," which is the
customary salute Of the country. Then
he approached the aloe hedge which
inclOsed my grounds, squatted himself
tailor fashion on the grass and began
TO produce weird. plaintivc sounds on
the flute, to which music the reptiles
entwined themselves around him and
seemed to sway their bodies to and
fro.
After some time n snake appeared,
gliding slowly and stealthily out from
the hedge toward the spot where it
heard the enchanting music. The
Charmcr allowed it to come quite
close and to wind itself around his
arm. Another followed and yet an
other, while the other two men stood
by holding a basket ready to receive
them as soon as they unwound them.
selves. At least n half dozen ap-
pearcd and were disposed of in this
After being captured they
appeared rs IL in a stupor.
Mortified with his pPrfOrmaE %, |
begged him to stop and babe him
leave the place. He asScnted and.
picking up The basket. departed with
the snakes without ever ceasing to
play his uncanny tune. His compan.
ions gathered mp the rest Of his be
longings and followed him | paid Il
certain sum for each snake thus dis
patched.
He came repeatedly thereafter and
went through the same performance.
c~onjuring up more reptiles and dispos-
ing of them in the same way until |
began to suspect some trickery He
refused to allow the snakes to be kill
cd. insisting that they were sacred and
must not be put TO death. II looked
as if he replaced the snakes in the
hedge after removing them. and thus
he multiplied their number and in
creased his gains.
| was finally forced TO have him re
moved by the police and threatened
with punishment in order TO keep him
away. Nothing would persuade me to
permit one Of the fellows to enter my
premises again.