64 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



he' knew, as did all present, why the milk had been sent 

 for and placed under his chair. Whilst the ' something ' — 

 which proved to be a cobra — was engaged lapping the milk 

 it was quickly despatched with a hammer. The next 

 morning Major C.'s hair showed streaks of grey, such had 

 been the strain and tension of racked nerves during that 

 brief interval, though he was no coward, and wears the 

 V.C. to-day. 



One morning a hue and cry was raised in our compound 

 on the announcement that a cobra had been seen in the 

 stables, and would certainly do for somebody, and for the 

 horses too, if not routed out. ' Would the Dursani wish 

 a snake-charmer to be sent for ? ' ' Yes, indeed the Dur- 

 sani would, and that instantly, but she must be there to 

 see the charming.' So the man was fetched, no Indian 

 village being without its snake-charmer. I went down 

 to the stables and waited for the great man. No one else 

 could entice the cobra, which had been so fortunately dis- 

 covered by a grass-cutter, out of its hiding-place. As soon 

 as he came he sat down on his heels and began his weird 

 chant, a musical though monotonous one, drumming the 

 while, without a moment's cessation, on a hollowed gourd 

 with a bladder stretched across each end. 



A snake's love for music is no fable ; this one emerged 

 from its retreat in a very short time, gliding downwards 

 from the rafters. About four feet six inches long it was, 

 full grown, and undeniably very handsome. On reaching 

 the ground nearer and nearer it came in search of the 

 sounds it loved, heeding nothing else till quite close to the 

 charmer, who was motionless, all but his mouth and drum- 

 ming fingers. There it rested, coiled round on its tail, 

 with the evilly beautiful head reared quite a foot from the 

 ground ; then it began a swaying, dancing movement, 

 head and neck keeping time (as it truly seemed) with the 

 music. It was ecstatically happy, for the eyes, though 



