EGYPTIAN SNAKECHARMER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue V, 29 January 1898, Page 143

EGYPTIAN SNAKECHARMER.

The following story of a ‘ snakecharmer ’ is liorrowed from a Paris paper. The reader is expected to use his own discretion as to believing or explaining it. The incident is said to have taken place in Cairo, where the narrator, Monsieur Vigouroux, while walking the streets with a friend, fell in with a * mild-looking young man ’ who professed to be a snake-charmer. The two visitors engaged him to come to

their hotel the next day, and give them an exhibition 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 led into the first courtyard. He was asked if there were any snakes there. * Yes,’ he replied, ‘ a great many.’

As a precautionary measute he was conducted into an interior court in the centre ot the palace. There he was asked if he could catch a snake. The charmer whis tied for a few seconds, and then listened attentive! v.

‘ \ es,’ said he, ‘ there is a snake on this side,' (minting to the wall. A liargain was then made with him, the rate lieing a shilling a snake. He immediately went to work with the air of a man who understood his business and was perfectly sure of the result. Standing in the centre of the court gazing at the wall where he said the reptile was concealed, he began to recite a prayer or conjuration in Arabic, in which lie addressed the serpent, saying in substance that everything and every creature must yield to the power of God.’ He also invoked Solomon and some celebrated Mussulman personages. While he was reciting this formula he sometimes stood perfectly straight, sometimes he leaned forward, and lastly he fell on his knees. When he had finished he iiieked np a little rod that lay beside lim, 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, and on a line with his arm at the place where he had directed the rod, they distinctly saw the head of a snake protruding from a hole in the wall. The snake-charmer grablied the head and pulled out a long, thin, and wriggling reptile. He made it fasten its fangs in his garment. Then he pulled violently and showed the snake’s teeth in the stuff. At last he threw the reptile on the ground, excited it, and tossed it into his leather bag.

‘ How did you know,’ he was asked, ‘that there was a snake in that wall ?’ ‘ I smelt him,’ was the answer.

And certainly there seemed to be no room to suspect a trick. One of the party remarked that the charmer might possibly have snakes concealed in his clothes. The fellow immediately threw off his bine blouse, which was his only covering, and shook it in the presence of the assemblage. He was asked if there were any more snakes in that court. After a moment's inspection he replied : ‘ In this wall there is a big one and a little one.’ He was told to catch the little one first. He recited his prayer, and added to it a command to the big snake to lie 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 he is!’ The head was sticking out of the hole. He grabbed it, pulled out the snake, and broke its fangs in the manner described above. But the reptile bit him in the arm and drew blood. The bite didn’t bother him. He threw the snake on the ground among the spectators, who stood in utter amazement. Then he went at work again. It was the big snake’s turn now. He was yanked out like the other two. Notwithstanding the apparent impossibility of fraud, the thing was so surprising that doubts were still expressed. ‘ Let him come into the garden,’ said one of the spectators, ‘ and catch snakes there ; then we will lie convinced.’

The charmer was led out into the garden. Near a heap of rubbish and weeds he liegan to whistle ; then he announced a snake. ‘ Yes, there are two,’ said he. Then stooping down he pulled one out, and, as he had left his leather bag in the courtyard, he put the head of the reptile into his mouth and held it there while he secured the second