212 OPHIDIA. — VIPERAD^. 



sequences attending the bite of these animals, by 

 chewing a certain root, and washing themselves 

 (it is not anointing) with an infusion of certain 

 plants in water. One day, when I was sitting 

 with the brother of Sheikh Adelan, prime minister 

 of Sennaar, a slave of his brought a Cer^astes, which 

 he had just taken out of a hole and was usmg 

 with every sort of famiharity. I told him my 

 suspicion that the teeth had been drawn ; but he 

 assured me they were not, as did his master 

 Kitton, who took it from him, wound it round 

 his arm, and at my desire ordered the servant to 

 carry it home with me. I took a chicken by the 

 neck, and made it flutter before him ; his seeming 

 indifference left him, and he bit it with great 

 signs of anger ; the chicken died almost imme- 

 diately. I say his seeming indifference, for I con- 

 stantly observed that, however lively the Viper 

 was before, yet, upon being seized by any of 

 these barbarians, he seemed as if taken with sick- 

 ness and feebleness, frequently shut his eyes, and 

 never turned his mouth towards the arm of the 

 person w^io held him." 



Sir W. Jones was assured by a learned native of 

 India, that he had frequently seen the most 

 venomous and malignant Snakes leave their holes 

 upon hearing notes from a flute, which, as he 

 supposed, gave them peculiar delight. Mr. Go- 

 gerly, a missionary in India, confirms this state- 

 ment. He observes, that some persons who were 

 incredulous on the subject, after taking the most 

 careful precautions against any trick or artifice 

 being played, sent a charmer into the garden to 

 prove his powers : — " The man began to play 

 upon his pipe, and proceeding from one part of 



