^A T EGYPTIAN SNAKE CHABMEB 



57 



three companions from the outer chamber. All four 

 men sat down silently on the floor, and after placing 

 their tambourines between their legs, filled their mouths 

 with herbs and began to puff out sweet-scented clouds of 

 smoke, crying : ' Allah ! Allah ! Allah ! ' all the time, 

 while Abd-el-Kerim made a hissing, whistling sort of 

 sound, which was intended to attract the serpents. 



This went on for three or four minutes without any 

 apparent result ; but at the end of that time Delaporte 

 saw about a score of scorpions crawl down the walk 

 or from under the furniture and wriggle up to Abd-el- 

 Kerim. 



The Consul's unbelief was rather staggered by the 

 sight of this strange procession. Some of the scorpions 

 came down the mosquito curtains, some down the 

 window blinds, others down the walls ; till the thought of 

 sleeping in such a haunted room was enough to make 



