198 LEAVES FROM THE 



There are different persons who know how to fascinate these 

 animals ; and they again never meddle with serpents. 



3rd. — Those that fascinate serpents eat them both raw and 

 boiled, and even make broth of them, which they eat very com- 

 monly amongst them ; but in particular, they eat such a dish when 

 they go out to catch them. I have even been told that serpents, 

 fried or boiled, are frequently eaten by the Arabians, both iu 

 Egypt and Arabia, though they know not how to fascinate them, 

 but catch them either ahve or dead. 



4th. — After they have eaten their soup, they procure a blessing 

 from theii- sclieik, who uses some superstitious ceremonies, and, 

 amongst others, spits on them several times with certain gestures. 



After making this statement Hasselquist thus con- 

 tinues: — 



The matter of getting a blessing from the priest is pure super- 

 stition, and cei-tainly cannot in the least help to fascinate serpents ; 

 but they believe, or will at least persuade others, that the power of 

 fascinating serpents depends upon this circumstance. We see by 

 this, that they know how to make use of the same means used by 

 other nations ; namely, to hide under the superstitious cloak of 

 religion what may be easily and naturally explained, especially 

 when they cannot or will not explain the natural reason. I am 

 inclined to think that all which was formerly, and is yet, reckoned 

 witchcraft, might come under the same article with the fascination 

 of serpents. The discovery of a small matter may in time teach 

 everybody to fascinate serpents ; and then this power may be 

 exercised by those who have not got it from the hands of the holy 

 scheik, just as the heat would natm'ally hatch chicken in an 

 Egyptian oven, whether a scheik did or did not lay himself naked 

 on it, when the eggs are just put in : yet to this ceremony do the 

 superstitious Egyptians ascribe the happy event of the chicken 

 being hatched, when they are asked the reason. I have been told 

 of a plant with which they anoint or rub themselves before they 

 touch the serpents ; but I have not hitherto received the least 

 description of it, therefore I regard it as fabulous. 



Bruce, whose testimony is worthy of all credit, not- 

 withstanding the vile usage he met with from many of 

 his contemporaries, shall next be ca;lled : — 



The cerastes (writes the Abyssinian traveller) moves with great 

 rapidity, and in all directions — forward, backward, and sideways. 

 When he inclines to surprize any one who is too fai- from him, he 



