| testimony of modern writers, continues to exhibit the same strange | | spectacles as the ancient serpent-eaters of Cyrene, described by | | Strabo, 17 Dio. 51. c. 14. Lucan, 9. v. 894. 937. Herodot. 4. c. | | 173. Paus. 9. c. 28. Savary states that he witnessed a procession | | at Rosetta, where a band of these seeming madmen, with bare arms | | and wild demeanour, held enormous serpents in their hands which | | writhed round their bodies and endeavoured to make their escape. | | These Psylli, grasping them by the neck, tore them with their teeth | | and ate them up alive, the blood streaming down from their polluted | | mouths. Others of the Psylli were striving to wrest their prey from | | them, so that it seemed a struggle among them who should devour a | | serpent. The populace followed them with amazement, and believed | | their performance to be miraculous. Accordingly they pass for | | persons inspired, and possessed by a spirit who destroys the effect | | of the serpent. | | | | Sonnini, though not so fortunate as to witness a public exhibition | | of such performances, yet gives the following interesting account | | of what he justly calls a remarkable specimen of the extravagance | | of man. After adverting to the superstitious origin of the sect, | | he goes on to say that a Saadi, or serpent-eater, came to his | | apartment accompanied by a priest of his sect. The priest carried | | in his bosom a large serpent of a dusky green and copper colour, | | which he was continually handling; and after having recited a | | prayer, he delivered it to the Saadi. The narrative proceeds:—“With | | a vigorous hand the Saadi seized the serpent, which twisted itself | | round his naked arm. He began to appear agitated; his countenance | | was discomposed; his eyes rolled; he uttered terrible cries, bit | | the animal in the head, and tore off a morsel, which we saw him | | chew and swallow. On this his agitation became convulsive; his | | howlings were redoubled, his limbs writhed, his countenance assumed | | the features of madness, and his mouth, extended by terrible | | grimaces, was all in a foam. Every now and then he devoured a fresh | | morsel of the reptile. Three men endeavoured to hold him, but he | | dragged them all three round the chamber. His arms were thrown | | about with violence on all sides, and struck every thing within | | their reach. Eager to avoid him, M. Forneti and I were obliged | | sometimes to cling to the wall, to let him pass and escape his | | blows. We could have wished the madman far away. At length the | | priest took the serpent from him, but his madness and convulsions | | did not cease immediately; he bit his hands, and his fury |