is face.

"Enough!"

The voices of the musicians, who have for the latter part of the
time been giving forth a drawling chorus, cease, but the din of the
tambourines continues, while the performer dances wildly, till he
stops before the lad on the ground, and takes from his mouth first one
date and then another, which the lad is told to eat, and does so, the
on-lookers fully convinced that they were transformed from the rag.

Now it is the turn of one of the musicians to come forward, his place
being taken by the retiring performer, after he has made another
collection in the manner already described.

"He who believes in God and in the power of our lord Mohammed ben
Aisa, say with me a Fatihah," cries the new man, extending his palms
turned upwards before him to receive the blessings he asks, and then
brings one of the snake-baskets forward, plunging his hand into its
sack-like mouth, and sharply drawing it out a time or two, as if
afraid of being bitten.

Finally he pulls the head of one of the reptiles through, and leaves
it there, darting out its fangs, while he snatches up and wildly beats
the tambourine by his side. He now seizes the snake by the neck, and
pulls it right out, the people starting back as it coils round in the
ring, or uncoils and makes a plunge towards someone. Now he pulls out
another, and hangs it round his neck, saying, "I take refuge with the
saint who was dead and is alive, with our lord Mohammed son of Aisa,
and with the most holy Abd el Kader el Jilani, king of land and
sea. Now, let every one who believes bear witness with me and say a
Fatihah!"

"Say a Fatihah!" echoes one of the still noisy musicians, by way of
chorus.

"Now may our lord Abd el Kader see the man who makes a contribution
with his eyes."

_Chorus:_ "With his eyes!"

"And may his heart find rest, and our lord Abd er-Rahman protect him!"

_Chorus:_ "Protect him!"

"Now, I call you to witness, I bargain with our lord Abd el Kader for
a forfeit!"

_Chorus:_ "For a forfeit!"

A copper is thrown into the ring, and as he picks it up and hands it
to the musician, the performer exclaims--

"Take this, see, and at the last day may the giver of it see our lord
Abd el Kader before him!"

_Chorus:_ "Before him!"

"May he ever be blessed, whether present or absent!"

_Chorus:_ "Present or absent!"

"Who wishes to have a good conscience and a clean heart? Oh, ye
beloved of the Lord! See, take from that dear one"