arm's length; whilst the snake, enraged, darted his
head in all directions, but in vain: thus suspended, he has not the
power to round himself, so as to seize hold of his tormentor. He
exhausted himself in vain exertions; when the snake-catcher descended
the bank, dropped him into the empty basket, and closed the lid: he then
began to play, and after a short time, raised the lid of the basket; the
snake darted about wildly, and attempted to escape; the lid was shut
down again quickly, the music always playing. This was repeated two or
three times; and in a very short interval, the lid being raised, the
snake sat on his tail, opened his hood and danced quite as quietly as
the tame snakes in the other basket, nor did he attempt again to escape.
This, having witnessed with my own eyes, I can assert as a fact."

Experienced and skilful as these men are, however, they do not
invariably escape with impunity. Fatal terminations to these exhibitions
of the psyllic art now and then occur, for there are still to be found
"deaf adders, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming
never so wisely." In Madras, a few years ago, a noted serpent-charmer
chanced one morning to get hold of a Cobra of considerable size, which
he got conveyed to his home. He was occupied abroad all day, and had not
time to get the dangerous fangs extracted from the Serpent's mouth. This
at least is the probable solution of the matter. In the evening he
returned to his dwelling, considerably excited with liquor, and began to
exhibit tricks with his snakes to various persons who were around him at
the time. The newly-caught Cobra was brought out with the others, and
the man, spirit-valiant, commenced to handle the stranger like the rest.
But the Cobra darted at his chin, and bit it, making two marks like pin
points. The poor juggler was sobered in an instant. "I am a dead man,"
he exclaimed. The prospect of immediate death made the maintenance of
his professional mysticism a thing of no moment. "Let the creature
alone," said he to those about him, who would have killed the Cobra; "it
may be of service to others who are of my trade. To me it can be of no
more use. Nothing can save me." His professional knowledge was but too
accurate. In two hours he was a corpse! The narrator saw him a short
time after he died. His friends and brother jugglers had gathered around
him, and had him placed on a chair in a sitting position. Seeing the
detriment likely