A CHARMER OF SNAKES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1923, Page 4

A CHARMER OF SNAKES

“THE REAL EAST." UNCANNY POWERS OF A NOAIAD. (Correspondent London “Tillies.”) It was a hot day. 1 was sitting at my office table, which had been brought out on to the verandah to avoid the stiilly atmosphere of the room in which t usually work. A 1 y iniinshi (Indian clerk) squatted on a mat beside me. and was droning out the day's vermicular corresp-oudence m hi., u-ual monotone. Gradually borne to my tars on the light breeze came the musical chant of the “bin”, the pipe used by the snake charmers all over India, with which they are said to coax the reptiles from their hiding plats s. The sounds grew louder, and presently on musican tame in view. A picturesque figure he made—a snifrou-t oloured turban wound about his head, and Ids long, loose garments, of the same hue, waving gracefully in the wind. llis I cot were encased in long, pointed siioes. artistically embroidered, and across liis shoulders lie carried a pole, from either end of which n cloth bundle was slung, containing all his kit and stock-in-trade. Oil seeing me he halted near tlm cactus hedge bordering my compound, and. making a low obeisance, inquired: “Ap niei'a tamashn deklma cliante iiain ” (“Does your honor wish to see me perform ?”) ! told my mo-.hi to send the man away, as 1 had several times seen so-called snake charmers perform their usual entertainment, consisting of setting a mongoose to worry a half-drugged snake, from which Ilie fangs have already- been re-moved-a rather revelling |. erl'orm-

Tho hi. in w;o preparing lo move on when I suddenly ihoiedit that 1 would like to buy his “bin”. Their music lias always fascinated nm. ami i- unlike anything else I have ever heard. The notes are all in a minor key, very penetrating and rather sad. The ••bin" iiscll consists of a hollowed gourd, large enough to allow two bamboo slicks to lie inserted, and in each of these, sticks is placed a reed, tlm joints made airtight with a kind of wax. Mole- are pierced at fixed intervals in the hamhoo slicks- -ix or eight in one stick and one in the other. The former produce the various note, while the latter arts in the same way as the drone of the bagpipe. ANS AVER TO A OH A 1.1. EM! E. f called the man to me and lie came and squatted ill the verandah, after earel'uly placing his bundle on the ground and salaaming humbly. On < loser acquaint;mi o lie was rat her startling. lie had long matted hair and a pair of wild-looking eyes, anil his nails looked like talons. lie seemed rather astonished when I asked him to sell me li is “bin”. Apparently Englishmen! di) not usually make sm-h strange requests. M’liat rnidd a Sabi! want with a “bin"? 11 is refusal to sell was quite definite hut instead of going away, lie untied one of his bemll'S and disclosed a round, tint basket with a lid. He then picked op his pipe. and. seating himself eros--legged before the basket, began to play. At firs! the notes were low and coaxing, but gradually grew in volume until they developed into a very spirited measure. Suddenly the lid of the basket was forced no i rom inside, and the distended head of a large cobra appeared. I: swayed to and fro. keeping lime

with tlm music, oeensionaly striking at ilm musician. It could do him tin barm, ns ifs fang- had be: n removed. Present Iv lie.' niitsie decreased in volume and expired in a final wail, while the cobra sank back into the ba.-l.e!. Afv wild-looking vi.--it.or thereupon !••■• placed the lid. tied up his bundle, and. again salaaming, asking that lie might be rewarded fur bis entertainment. I laughingly remarked that. I did not think iniit'li of his performance, and added that ii did not compare very favourably with a. real snake eliaruler’s tamasha (show), such as a light between a mongoose and a snake.

The man was far from abashed, log. taking inv remark as a challenge, In asked. “The ,Sahib thinks that this rall 1 can show him—that on I v IhL feeble one (indicating the bundle containing the cobra) will answer niv call Come! I will show the Presence that f can entice even the jungle an abe front his lair.” AA'itliout further ado lie began to discard Ids elotliiiig, leaving himself with only a cloth about his loins. Then, seizing his ••'bin”, lie b- - gau to play loudly, ai the same time darning lightly io and I'm, hi eyes glaring madly. The music, if r.neli A may lie called, consisted merely ol two notes in a minor key played alternalc-

ly in quick success. Swayijig backwards and lorwards. the snake charmer danced his way across the lawn toward a dense Iv l of (lower.-. .Suddenly lie ce:cs“d playing and came- to a standstill, beckoning me eagerly to ionic in him. I made my way gingerly across the lawn, and as I approached lie said, in a tens' whisper. “Liston. Rahil) I I lie Evil One answers my call. See! Here lie conics.” He pointed to the flower-lied. I could see nothing. Inti moved hock to a sale distance. The snake charmer lore a handful of grass from the lawn and made a sudden (live into the flower-bed. shouting, "ilo Shaiiilaii' (•Satan) I have caught you." There

"a- a trememhois hiss, and the man stood upright, holding at arm’s length a. lift viper which he had seined neat the tail, while il darted its head hither and thither in a fruitless attempt to strike him. Walking (illicitly across the lawn to the carriage drive, my strange visitor throw the snake on to the gravel, anti, as it wriggled its way towards the grass, he made a quirk movement and again seized it—this time behind th • head. The snake was now powerless and the man lilted it. writhing, iron! the ground. Then, taking up his discarded sali’run-coloured robe, lie rolleti one cottier of it into a small hail and thrust it at the reptile’s head. The head shot forward and two white fangs buried themselves deep in the cloth. The snake charmer gave • tic cloth a deft twist and a sharp pull, then opened it, showing a weL patch of poison with two bleeding fangs embedded in the centre, while blood issued from the snake’s month. "Sec Huzonr, the Evil One is now helpless.’’

quoth tlie charmer, and threw the snake to the ground, were it scuttled into the verandah to avoid the unaccustomed heat of the sun. S.VAKKS IX THE lIOIASK. My visitor again salaamed and asked i>: his llowery Eastern language for a fitting reward. 1 gave him two rupees. at the same time wondering ii he had "planted” the snake on me with the connivance of ntv servants be-

fore starting his performance. I was •soon, however, to (image my ideas. For my visitor, as if reading my thought •. remarked, "1; the Sahib aware that there are other snakes here even in-dde this housef" J)id I not hear them talking whilst dealing with this viper ” I was forced to smile, as I immediately concluded that the man merely wanted an opportunity to get inside my bungalow and help himself to my kit. Those snake charmers all belong to criminal tribes, and live on what they cm hog. borrow Ur steal. Again the follow seemed to know what was passing in my mind, for he remarked: •'There is no need for mo to enter the Sahib’s house. Should he desire it. f will call the snake hither.’’ lie picked up his “bin’’ and began to t!ty. It was a. repetition of bis previous dirge, but Ibis time be danced toward.-, the door of a disused bathroom. which was kept locked. T followed eagerly. Dancing to and fro, the man arived at some .-ix pares from tiltdoor, and. playing bis pipe with one hand lie pointed with the other. I watched intently, and there I saw something move in a oracle between the door-post and the brick-work. The musician continued to play, and the head of a snake appeared, then iis body. Finaly a krait wriggled into tul view and tame quickly towards the man. It, was only,a small snake, some 1 Sin. long, but known as one of the

most venomous in India; its bite is fatal in three hours. It- was within 3ft of the snake charmer when he suddenly thrust out his arm and seized it behind its head. Again taking his safroncoloured robe, he treated the krait as lie had treated the viper. By this time I was beginning to feel rather nervous, and looked anxiously around, wondering when and where the next snake would appear. Hurriedly I gave the old man another live rupees, imping lie would pack lip and go: hut lie asked for an old coat to keep him warm in Ilie winter. Eventually 1 gave him a. blanket, and lie called down the blessings of Allah on my head, hut did not depart until 1 had giten him a note certifying that the blanket was a gift. He was afraid that the police might accuse hint oj" being ill possession ot stolen properly. Before departure he carefully collet tfVi his latest acquisitions from under ilie Power pot- where they laid hidden themselves, and, coiling them up in much llk- same manner as one would ryil up a rope lied tinee into the spare ends of his hiin-ehuh. Tie n, having resumed safTroii-celorpd robe and taken up his p fie. w ill. its aeeunip.'inying bundles, In- bowed low and departed. He was soon lost to view, hut the wailing notes of his pipe were audible for some minute:-, dying g:ndun!lv away in l.he distance. Reluciaiitlv I returned hi niv office table and the droning voice u r my “inunshi.” as lie resumed the reading the day's report-. I tell that 1 had at last got a glimp-” of the real East, as ] had always imagined il Irnm nurs, ry dues— the East of the “Jungle Rook” find the “Arabiaii Night.-." ] have since thought about the uncanny power- <1 my snake charmer. He belong-'I to a nomadic trite', which has never lived under n rnnl. and which, like our English gip-ics. always sb"'o under the stars. When rain nr cold f< ires them lo shelter, such shelf, r eonsits of a hivoeae made of hedge stick, aml old rags. Their diet consists ol grass, IVogs, I snakes. From childhood Sie. li tieei.le are on intimate term ; w ith the jungle and all I hat it contain.-. Tliev live on'nu.-e or L - equal terms will: the creatures ol the wild, and tin's i over, which lliev have over rake--, and which uodouh!. they,-dsn bnveowr other animals, appears as si range uml uncanny only to these whom iho world calls civ i lists I—w lio-e cars baV" been dulled h\' the roar ol the eiiies, tile noise of the steam engine and the motor. and hose sight ha: los! its keenness through too much poring over books.