and dismissed him
with a handsome "backsheesh." Jubar is usually dressed in a coarse loose
bernoose of brown serge, with a red cap on his head.

The gift, or craft, of serpent-charming, descends in certain families from
generation to generation; and Mohammed, a smart active lad, is the old
man's son-in-law, although not numbering sixteen years. He is quite an
Adonis as to dress, wearing a smart, richly embroidered dark-green jacket,
carried--hussar fashion--over his right shoulder, a white loose vest, full
white trowsers, tied at the knee, scarlet stockings and slippers, and a
fez or red cap, with a blue tassel of extra proportions on his head. In
his right ear is a ring, so large that it might pass for a curtain ring.

Precisely as the clock strikes four, one of the keepers places on a
platform a wooden box containing the serpents, and the lad Mohammed
proceeds to tuck his ample sleeves as far up as possible, to leave the
arms bare. He then takes off his cloth jacket, and, opening the box, draws
out a large Cobra de Capello, of a dark copper color: this he holds at
arm's length by the tail, and after allowing it to writhe about in the air
for some time, he places the serpent on the floor, still holding it as
described. By this time the cobra had raised his hood, very indignant at
the treatment he is receiving. Mohammed then pinches and teases him in
every way; at each pinch the cobra strikes at him, but, with great
activity, the blow is avoided. Having thus teased the snake for some time,
Mohammed rises, and placing his foot upon the tail, irritates him with a
stick. The cobra writhes, and strikes sometimes at the stick, sometimes at
his tormentor's legs, and again at his hands, all which is avoided with
the utmost nonchalance. After the lapse of about ten minutes, Mohammed
coils the cobra on the floor, and leaves him while he goes to the box, and
draws out another far fiercer cobra. While holding this by the tail,
Mohammed buffets him on the head with his open hand, and the serpent,
quite furious, frequently seizes him by the forearm. The lad merely wipes
the spot, and proceeds to tie the serpent like a necklace around his neck.
Then the tail is tied into a knot around the reptile's head, and again
head and tail into a double knot. After amusing himself in this way for
some time, the serpent is told to lie quiet, and stretched on his back,
the neck and chin being gently stroked. Whether any sort of mesmeric
influence