gfjj ON THE FASGINATlNd f ACULTf 



The manner in which the fuppofed fafcinaling power of 



ferpents is exerted has often been related, by different writers. 



I (hall endeavour to convey forae idea of the bufinefs^ in at« 



few words as I can. 



Se fur'o^d ^^^ fnake, whatever its fpecies may be, lying at the bottom 



procefs of fnakes of the tree or bufti upon which the bird or fqairrel fits, fixes 



m fafcinating j^g gy^^ upon the animal which it defigns to fafcinate or en- 

 iDther animals » '' 



chant. No fooner is this done than the unhappy animal (I 



ufe, for the prefent, the language of thofe who differ from me 

 in opinion, on this fubjefl) is unable to make its efcape. It 

 now begins to utter d moft piteous cry, which is well known 

 by thofe who hear il^ and underftand the whole machinery of 

 the bufinefs, to be the cry of a creature enchanted. If it is 

 a fquirrel, it runs up the tree for a (hort diflance^ comes down 

 again, then runs up, and, Jaflly, comes lower down. ** On 

 that occafion," fays an honeft but rathfer credulous writer *> 

 ** it has been obferved, that the fquirrel always goes down 

 more than it goes up. The fnake ftill continues at the root of 

 the tree, with its eyes fixed on the fquirrel^ with which its 

 attention is fo entirely taken up, that a perfon accidentally 

 approaching, may make a confiderable noife, without the 

 inake's fo much as turning about. The fquirrel as before 

 mentioned comes always lower> and at laft leaps down to the 

 fnake, whofe mouth is already wide open for its reception. 

 The poor little animal then with a piteous cry runs into the 

 fnake\sjaws, and is fwallowed at once, if it be not too big. 

 but if its fize will not allow it to be fwallowed at once, the 

 fnake licks it feveral times with its tongue, and fmoothens it, 

 and by that means makes it fit for fwallowing \" 

 Other accounts It would be eafy to cite, from different authors, other ac- 

 are not material- ^Qynl^s of the manner in which the enchantment is performed; 

 ^ *' * or, more properly fpeaking, of the conduct, or behaviour^ of 

 the enchanting and enchanted animals. But between thefe 

 accounts, there is hardly a fpecific difference. There is con- 

 fiderable unity in all the relations that I have heard, or read* 



* Profeflbr Peter Kalm. 



f Travels into North- America j containing its natural hiftory, 

 and a circumftantlal account of its plantations and agriculture in 

 general, &c. &c. vol. i. p. 317 & 318. Alfo vol. ii. p. 207, 208, 

 ^09 & 210. Engliih Tranflation. London s 1770& 1771. 



However^ 



