Cobra – Catching.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 294, 29 August 1888, Page 3

Cobra - Catching.

Although most; people have a natural aversion to snakes, and would on no account touch them, there are some per&ons who are accustomed , fco handle snakes (Tractare serpents), and will pick up a wild poisonous snake from the ground with impunity. George Borrow, the author of ' The Gypsies in £>pain,' had this faculty; and I knew two officers, one of whom was 1 a captain in a Scotch regiment,, whilst ..his brother was the doctor, who said that this faculty was born in them. In a work published not long ago by Mr F. B. Sirason, a retired Indian civilian, lie gives' the following prescription for catching cobras :— ' When you come upon your cobra, make him rear up and expand his hood. He generally does this quickly enough ; but should he delay, whietle to him, imitating the snake charmers. He will then certainly raise his head. Then with a small cane or stick, or the ramrod of a gun, gently press his head to the ground. The snake will not object ; he seems rather to like it. When you press his head lightly to the ground with the stick in your left hand, you should seize the snake firmly with your right, close behind the head", holding his neck rather tightly ; then let go the stick and catch hold of the tail. The snake is powerless, and you can do what you like with it. You should have an earthen pot brought and let the snake pass into it, as &nakes will always go into any dark place.' On the whole "this prescription does noo seem inviting. I have never tried it, and should hardly care to see any one try it. Mr Simson says that he had an elephant-driver, or mahout, who was a great snake-catcher and very reckless. He writes thus: —'I never saw him press down the snake with a rod such as I have described, but he caught numbers of snakes of all sorts, and sent them alive to hi.? house. His movements were so rapid, and generally in jungle and with his back to me, that I never made out exactly why he did not get bitten. He used to jump off his elephant, leaving the animal in my guidance ;,in a moment afterwards he had the snake in his hand. He said' that he caught them by their tails, swung them under his arm, and held them there, whilst he slipped his hand up to the back of the head. He then gave the snake some of his clothing to amu&e itself with, and on which to expend its venom. He then wrapped^the reptiles up in a loose cloth and r took very little trouble with them. l^have seen him catch snakes, scores of times, but I rather discouraged him, as I did not like the idea of having live venomous snakes at large, or even in earthen pots or boxes. At the same time he received good prices for his snakes.'—" C. T. Buckland, in ' Longman's Magazine.'