and I looked
into the room without interruption. It was about twenty feet
long, and fifteen broad, paved with tiles and plastered within.
The windows had also been secured by an additional grating made
of wire, in such a manner as to render it impossible for the
serpents to escape from the room: it had but one door, and that
had a hole cut through it six or eight inches square: this hole
was also secured by a grating. In the room stood two men, who
appeared to be Arabs, with long bushy hair and beards; and I
was told they were a particular race of men, that could charm
serpents.

"A wooden box, about four feet long and two wide, was placed
near the door, with a string fastened to a slide at one end of
it; this string went through a hole in the door. The two
serpent-eaters were dressed in haiks only, and those very small
ones. After they had gone through their religious ceremonies
most devoutly, they appeared to take an eternal farewell of
each other: this done, one of them retired from the room, and
shut the door tight after him. The Arab within seemed to be in
dreadful distress. I could observe his heart throb, and his
bosom heave most violently: and he cried out very loudly,
"_Allah houakiber_", three times; which is, as I understood it,
_God have mercy on me_.[273]

"The Arab was at the farthest end of the room: at that instant
the cage was opened, and a serpent crept out slowly; he was:
about four feet long, and eight inches in circumference; his
colours were the most beautiful in nature, being bright, and
variegated with a deep yellow, a purple, a cream colour, black
and brown, spotted, &c. As soon as he saw the Arab in the room,
his eyes, which were small and green, kindled as with fire; he
erected himself in a second, his head two feet high; and
darting on the defenseless Arab, seized him between the folds
of his haik, just above his right hipbone, hissing most
horribly; the Arab gave a horrid shriek, when another serpent
came out of the cage. This last was black, very shining, and
appeared to be seven or eight feet long, but not more than two
inches in diameter: as soon as he had cleared the