402 



MODERN EGYPT. 



countenance, and in a strong convulsive manner he puts the animal 

 to death by eating and swallowing part of it alive. This disgusting 

 and horrible spectacle, however, is but seldom exhibited at present. 



In the house in which I lived at Alexandria, there was a room 

 containing a large quantity of rubbish and lumber, which had not 

 been removed for some years ; a small snake was one day discovered 

 in it, on which account I resolved to have the room examined, and 

 the supposed nest of snakes destroyed. My interpreter persuaded 

 me to send for one of the family already mentioned. The snake- 

 charmer was an old man, and by trade a carpenter. He prayed 

 fervently at the door for a quarter of an hour, and at length, pale and 

 trembling, ventured into the room ; while an English sailor, who was 

 at that time my servant, proceeded to clear away the rubbish with 

 perfect unconcern. Two small snakes only were found ; and these 

 were killed by the shovel of my servant. There are many kinds of 

 snakes and reptiles about the ruins in the environs of Alexandria ; 

 among them, some have fancied they discovered the asp. I have 

 seen here the black scorpion, whose sting is reputed mortal ; but this 

 is a vulgar prejudice. 



A mixture of meal, wine, and honey, was the food given, as we are 

 informed by iElian, N. A. lib. xvii., to a species of serpent by the 

 ancient Egyptians. The snake is esteemed sacred by the present 

 Arab inhabitants of Egypt; and I have been told that they frequently 

 place milk and roots for their subsistence, when it is known that any 

 snakes frequent the ruins of their dwellings. These house snakes grow 

 to a large size, and are said to be quite harmless, and even tame. 



The dogs, less fortunate than the cats, have no masters ; they are 

 left to prowl about the streets in search of whatever food they can 

 collect. They are very numerous, and many hundreds were shot by 

 the French in different towns. They are very savage at Alexandria ; 

 being a mixed race of the dog and the jackal. I have been attacked 

 by them more than once at night, in passing by a burying-ground. 

 I have seen several of them at the ruins near the castle of Aboukir ; 

 they were of a light sandy colour, and had the appearance of the 



