They have a basket which they sling on their
shoulders and in which they keep their pet snakes. The vine is their constant
companion on which they play sweet tunes to madden the serpents.
Promise them a pie and they begin to play on the vain.
Their skill in modulating and controlling breath is wonderful, and the drawling
music which they produce has a strange and fascinating influence. When the
charmer thinks his music has produced its effect on the snake, he will empty
the pot or the casket, in which he keeps his jewels, on the ground and you will
see a curled up thing. It lies on the ground lifeless, and he begins to rouse
it by touching it with a stick or prosing it with the thin end of his vain. The
lifeless thing now uncurls itself and begins to hiss and dash the charmer.
Sometimes it rushes at the spectators to their
great fright. The dance of the cobra when it stands erect and spreads its hood
is very amusing. Sometimes the charmer would e make the snake bite him, but he
usually carries snakes whose poisonous fangs have been broken. He pretends to
possess charms with which he can make these dangerous things harmless.
It is very difficult to understand this mysterious
being. You cannot believe all what he says and yet you cannot deny that he is a
very clever man. His eyes are always red and he has a very wild and frightful
appearance. He certainly takes some strong intoxicating poison otherwise you
cannot explain the weird look of his eyes.