Snakes: Curiosities and Wonders of Serpent Life

by Catherine Cooper Hopley

And is the reptile which brings such distinction and honour into a family to be ruthlessly destroyed? ‘No Hindoo will willingly kill a cobra,’ Colonel Meadows Taylor tells us, in his People of India. Should one be killed accidentally within the precincts of a guarded village, a piece of copper money is put into its mouth, and the body is burned with offerings to avert the anticipated evil. The najas, or hooded snakes, from their habit of erecting themselves on the approach of persons, are those especially regarded as guardians. It was the same in Egypt. In the najas are also supposed to dwell the spirits of highly-favoured persons, or those whose lives had been of remarkable purity and goodness,—another motive for their being protected. It is still the same in many parts of Africa, where the natives think ill luck follows the death of a python.

In works where medical statistics are given, such as Fayrer’s Thanatophidia, we learn the fatal results of these superstitions. When the natives find a cobra in their houses, as is not unfrequently the case, says Fayrer, ‘they will conciliate it, feed and protect it, as though to injure it were to invoke misfortune on the house and family. Even should the death of some relative, bitten by accident, occur, the serpent is not killed, but caught and deferentially deported to the field or jungle, where it is set free.’ No one can peruse the above without seeing how largely the percentage of deaths is traceable to native superstition. Fayrer also shows us the fatal consequences of the confidence placed in the snake ‘charmers,’ who are considered to be especially favoured by their deities, and endowed with curative powers. Much interesting reading, apart from medical science, will be found in the Thanatophidia on the Hindoo faith in the müntras or spells and incantations used by the charmers in cases of snake-bite. Out of some ninety such cases selected by Fayrer from returns sent in by medical officers in the Bengal Presidency, nearly half proved that either no remedies at all were tried, or that recourse was had to native nostrums or müntras. Briefly to enumerate a few of the reports: ‘Boy bitten by keautiah, charms and incantations; died in half an hour.’ ‘Man keeping a krait (Bungarus) for “Poojah” (worship) was bitten, and died in seven hours, notwithstanding native nostrums.’ A woman bitten died in three hours ‘in spite of incantations’! ‘A man bitten while asleep had “leaves to smell,” but nevertheless died in three hours!’ ‘Woman bitten at night, got up and had müntras (chantings) to expel the poison. She died four hours after the bite notwithstanding; and her infant at the breast died two hours after partaking the maternal nutriment.’ And many similar cases. What wonder, then, with this miserable fatalism prevailing over that vast and densely-populated country, that death by snake-bites should amount to many thousands annually? One more case must be recorded to show how deeply rooted the faith. A tall, strong young man was bitten in the hand, while sleeping out of doors. No medicine was given, but incantations were muttered over him. In an hour he was a corpse: yet the village where this happened continues to do Poojah (adoration) to the cause of the evil. By far the largest percentage of deaths is attributable to the cobra, though this is not a proof that its numbers predominate so much above other snakes, as of the religious veneration in which it is everywhere held. It is found all over the peninsula, even as high as 8000 feet on the sunny slopes of the Himalayas. The names of castes, Nâg, Nâgo, Nâgojee, Nâgowa, etc., found among all classes of Hindoos, have all reference to the Nâg or Nâja deities, says Colonel Meadows Taylor. To this author, as well as to Forbes, Ferguson,[133] Fayrer, and Miss Frere,[134] the reader is referred in verification of the above. If further to pursue the subject of snake worship, The Serpent Myths of Ancient Egypt, by W. R. Cooper, 1873; The Serpent Symbol, by Squires, 1851; Sun and Serpent Worship, by J. S. Phené; and The Native Races of the Pacific States of North America, by H. H. Bancroft, are some of the many books that afford interesting matter. These latter, however, allude more particularly to ancient nations. Among many living and semi-barbarous tribes serpent superstitions exist, though, perhaps, more strongly in West Africa than elsewhere, excepting India at the present time. In Africa, not the venomous so much as the large constricting snakes are the objects of care and veneration. In Dahomey and the Dahomeans, F. E. Forbes relates some amusing instances of the sacred devotion of the Fetish women, or guardians and slaves of the python deities at Whydah. A Fetish house or temple devoted to the snakes was built round a large cotton-tree, and in this a number of pythons were permitted to roam about at their pleasure. When they ventured beyond the precincts, their Fetish attendants went in search of them, and by gentle persuasions (probably in the form of poultry or other dietetic arguments) induced them to go home: while all who met them bowed down and kissed the dust of their path. Morning and evening the devotees prostrated themselves before the sacred abode of these ophidian deities, either to worship the invisible god Seh, or his representatives in serpentine form.

From frequent and gentle handling, snakes thus protected naturally grow tame. The Fetish attendants become skilled in managing their reptile gods, and are not slow in investing themselves with especial powers for their office. And to this may the origin of the so-called ‘charmers’ be traced; for ‘snake charming,’ like snake worship, dates back to the very earliest ages. With a more intimate knowledge of the reptilian class which modern zoology has brought about, comes happily a clearer insight into the tricks of the snakemen, jugglers, and charmers of Egypt and the East. Snake-taming to-day is not confined to Saadees and Samp Wallahs; it is not even confined to non-venomous snakes, of which pythons have always proved very amenable pets. Mr. Mann’s tame pythons (see ‘Introduction’) were popular performers at the time they were introduced in Chancery, and his pet constrictor, ‘Cleo,’ was honoured with an obituary notice from the pen of Mr. Frank Buckland, in Land and Water, after she died ‘of grief,’ as was said, at the illness of her master.[135] The amiable ‘Cleo’ (or Cleopatra) was the ‘constant companion’ of Mr. and Mrs. Mann for several years, and they soon learned her wishes when she ‘asked’ for either food, drink, or fresh air. ‘A short time before her death she contracted a friendship for a young kitten,’ was always ‘fond of children,’ who displayed no fear of that sociable ophidian. But she was shy of strangers; and this I myself realized on paying my respects to her; for not until she was fully convinced that I had no evil intentions, and not without much coaxing and persuasion on the part of her guardians, could Cleo be induced to approach me.

Several of the constricting snakes at the Zoological Gardens of even larger size than Cleo are exceedingly tame, permitting themselves to be handled. One of them, a temporary inmate during the winter of 1881-82, was introduced to the public by Dr. Stradling through the columns of Land and Water, April 3, 1880, as ‘Totsey,’ together with her brother ‘Snap,’ the latter named ‘from a trifling infirmity of temper when young.’ These two were the offspring of the Panama boa who gave birth to 20 live young at the Gardens, June 30, 1877. Of these twenty, Mr. Sclater notified, at one of the Zoological Society’s meetings in the following November, that all but one were still alive. Of the two which became the property of Dr. Stradling and were tamed by him, he wrote, ‘Any one can handle them with impunity;’ and that they recognised him among others in the dark, permitting him only to touch them at such a time. ‘Lolo’ and ‘Menina’ are the pretty names of two other tame constrictors belonging to this ophiophilist, and whose amiable and interesting manners were recorded in the above journal. Of ‘Totsey’ the Dr. writes, ‘She is the most gentle and affectionate snake I ever had.’ As this same Miss Ophidia happened to be an inmate at the Gardens in January 1882, when the pair of illustrations (p. 205) were in preparation, she adorns that page; though in truth it was one of her brothers or sisters, then rather smaller, that really did hang thus on the branch as I sketched it at the time, September 24, 1880.

That some of the most venomous serpents are also capable of being tamed we have many proofs. They use their fangs in self-defence, actuated by fear or hunger; and where no fear exists, a serpent would not deliberately crawl about, expending its precious and only protective power, venom, on any object it met with. Would a cobra or a crotalus in its native woods approach any living thing it saw and indiscriminately strike it with its poison fangs? No. Its primary impulse would be to escape. It strikes only under provocation or hunger. Therefore if a venomous snake in captivity become so familiar with your presence as to cease to fear you, it would also abstain from biting you. Not that one would recommend Jararacas or cobras for pets, notwithstanding the assurance of some residents in India that the latter are capital guards to a dwelling, and in some are even encouraged instead of dogs, as the less liable to bite of the two! Miss Frere, in her interesting reminiscences of India, Old Deccan Days, gives instances of children playing with the cobra without injury. She mentions a Brahman boy who could without any other music than his own voice attract and handle with impunity any venomous serpents that might be within hearing. They would come out of a thicket or a dry stone wall—their favourite refuge. Such instances are sufficiently rare to be regarded as miraculous, adds the authoress, still they do occur. ‘How much is due to gentleness of touch and fearlessness, how much to any personal peculiarity which pleases the senses of the snake, it is difficult to say.’ The boy above alluded to was believed to be the incarnation of some divinity, and the magistrate took note of his proceedings.

But at last, through some inadvertency, he got bitten; when he died, notwithstanding the divinity he was supposed to enshrine, notwithstanding the spells and müntras which might be pronounced over him.

The cobra is supposed to have originally had seven heads, as we see represented on Hindoo temples. The ‘hood’ is believed to be the remains of these seven heads; and the Gokurrah, whose pattern of the double ocellus had gained it the name of the ‘spectacled cobra,’ is held in the highest esteem of all from the two spots being considered the footprints of the god Krishna. These are the especial favourites of the professional snake charmers.

When it is borne in mind that snakes have been tamed by persons of only slight experience, we can easily comprehend that with a life’s practice, and with inherited facilities, the Oriental jugglers must acquire peculiar expertness in dealing with their ‘charmed’ specimens. Originally, no doubt, the office of the professed snake tamer was connected with the sacred rites of serpent-worshipping communities, but has now greatly degenerated into the trade of jugglers and tricksters. That some of these do acquire extraordinary skill in dealing with their dangerous captives cannot be denied. Profound faith is placed in their performances by the natives, who attribute to them supernatural agency. From being close observers of reptile character, they know how far to venture on familiarities. They thoroughly understand the movements of the sluggish and timid serpents with which they are toying; and while keeping up a perpetual gabble to divert the attention of the spectators, aggravated by the tum-tumming and so-called ‘music’ to which the snakes are supposed to ‘dance,’ they themselves keep just beyond striking reach, and provoke the snake to follow the waving motion of their hands. The true object or impulse of the snake is to bite the irritating cause, the pretended motive is ‘dancing.’ To follow the movement of the object which provokes them is instinctive, music or not; and without any din and cackle and jargon, the cobras would do this all the same. Long practice and an intimate acquaintance have given the jugglers confidence and dexterity, while on the part of the snake fear is the chief characteristic. Even the tamest cobra is only watching the opportunity to escape, and the moment the juggler ceases his performance, down it drops, and makes for its basket. Should the performance not be ended, the snakes are called to attention by being sharply pulled back by their tail, when up they rise with hood expanded, and with just enough of power and spirit left in them to recommence the ‘dance,’ more truly to make one more futile attempt to strike their tyrannical masters. It is only a repetition of the same kind of ‘obedience’ and ‘intelligence’ that was accredited to that first rattlesnake ever exhibited in England.

That showman (introduced p. 285) had become well acquainted with crotalus idiosyncracies, and knew how to turn them to account before an ignorant crowd.

Those who have to deal with venomous serpents tell us, that with caution and expertness they are not difficult to handle; and this is verified by all who describe the performances of Oriental snake-charmers. Not only cobras with fangs extracted, or mouths sewn up, or composition ‘cerastes’ with artificial horns fastened on to the heads of harmless snakes, but those with perfect fangs and well-filled poison glands, are handled with equal facility. By pressing down the snake’s head gently with a stick and then seizing it firmly close behind the head, so close that it has no power to turn it, you fetter its movements. Or to snatch up a venomous snake by its tail and quickly support it festooned on a stick which you draw gently towards the head, and then secure that as above, is another method adopted; or, again, to seize the tail and pass the hand swiftly along the body till the head is reached, and then grasp the neck. These are among the various ways of handling poisonous serpents, according to the purposes required of them. Every movement must be carefully watched, however, and the head not released until the entire snake is free to be returned straight into its cage. Even wild and vicious cobras are thus fearlessly dealt with by experts; and those which are in process of taming are put through a daily training. They are made comfortable in a basket, conciliated with food and milk, soothed by softly stroking them with a brush and by kind and gentle handling.