208 THE AET OF TRAINING ANIMALS. 



" He was shown a hole in which we supposed the snake to 

 be, for the reptile had disappeared. He lay down on the floor, 

 and placing his face close to the hole, exclaimed, * Eurra sap j 

 sabit babut burra,' (Big snake, your honor, very big.) With- 

 out any more preparation, he commenced digging around the 

 hole, and removed some of the brickwork- In a few minutes 

 he showed the tail of the reptile, and with sundry incantations 

 in Hindostanee and curious contortions of his body, seized hold 

 of the tail, and gradually drew forth the snake. It proved to be 

 a fine specimen of the cobra — a black, shining, wriggling, hiss- 

 ing, deadly cobra, about five feet long, at the thickest part 

 eight inches round, with a hood measuring, when extended, five 

 inches across. The reptile he handled freely, whilst it was 

 hissing and darting its tongue out every second. Taking it in 

 the yard or ' compound,' he released it. The brute wriggled 

 itself toward him, and when within a foot or so reared itself up, 

 spread out the enormous hood, and prepared itself to strike at 

 its captor. But the charmer was not to be wounded. He 

 seized his primitive instrument, and commenced very slowly to 

 produce low and soft tones, very harmonious, but unconnected. 

 The snake seemed astonished; his hood gradually collapsed, 

 his head and about a foot of his body that was raised from the 

 ground commenced to sway from side to side in perfect harmony 

 with the music, and slower and quicker as the time was de- 

 creased or increased. As the man played louder, the snake got 

 more excited, until the rapid and unusual movements had quite 

 exhausted it^ and it subsided. 



^* Again the charmer seized it, and quick as lightning ran his 

 hand up its body, holding it firmly by the throat. By pressing 

 on its back the cobra's mouth opened, and he disclosed the 

 fangs, poison bags, and apparatus complete, thus proving be- 

 yond a doubt that it was not a trained or tame reptile he had 

 been treating like a plaything. Doubts still arose in my mind, 

 however, about the genuineness of the performance, for I could 

 not bring myself to believe that a man would willingly place 

 himself in such close proximity to certiiin death. 



'^ A fowl was obtained and placed about a-fcot from the rep- 

 tile, which was again set free. With the same movements it 

 raised itself a foot from the ground, spread out its hood, and 

 with a loud hiss, apparently of satisfaction, darted upon and 

 seized the fowl by the back of the neck. Hanging there for a 

 few seconds it let go its hold, and the man at the same instant 

 seized it, as he had formerly done, by the head. The fowl ai- 

 riest instantaneously became drowsy, its head falling forward, 

 ^Xid the beak striking with considerable force into the ground. 



