International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

December, 1934 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Five The reptile became languid as though The melancholy Nile at sunset, from the terrace of the Moussa lowering the cobra into the some overpowering lethal influence Winter Palace Hotel, Luxor. earthen jar after the show, possessed it. lords of reptiles speak, whose transmigrated souls have dominion over thee, serpents of the Sahara!" Striking the ground with a long ebony staff, Moussa punctuates each incantation : "Come forth venomous evil, thou shalt crawl all the days of thy life and obey Moussa, your mandate of destiny. It is so written in the Book of Life!" Alert in his task he bade the cobra to come forth from out the ruins, but this evil son of darkness proved rebellious. Moussa turned to me in alarm: "She will not come out! I wil' hav to push in my 'and and git she!" With studied precision Moussa went about the business of drawing the deadly cobra from the dark aperture. Bringing forth this venomous crawling thing out of hiding required more than fakery or mesmerism. Faith replaced confidence . . . Moussa was on the spot ! I waited with camera ready, expectant, come what would. Soon I was rewarded as Moussa drew the cobra from the hole and flung it briskly over his head . . . his face shown like wrinkled brocade for here was his task well done. The flexible green bronze body of the cobra glistened in the brilliant sunlight hissing as he was dropped to the ground directly before me. The flat venomous head rose and spread to a hooded cowl. The body swayed menacingly, posed for striking . . . the hypnotic stare of the agate eyes held me in a cataleptic clutch ... I was being drawn to sudden death, yet was powerless to move when a command from Moussa metamorphosed the swaying menace into a quivering, abject automaton, squirming, rearing and lowering to the charmer's cajoling commands. "Pick him up and put him around your neck!" I cried, all the while getting the action in the camera. Moussa chanted low and soft, squatting directly over the cobra. His brown hand touched the reptile. With a deliberate caress he stroked the hooded head, his sinewy fingers moved unhurried. He clasped the snake behind the head and swung it over and around his shoulders. The reptile became languid as though some overpowering lethal influence possessed it. The closeup was made . . . what a picture ! Presently the spell waned and passed . . . the thing was all snake again, vicious and dangerous. Moussa lowered the cobra and with head first dropped it into an earthen jar, replaced the top and the show was over. J could not help but wonder what strange and malevolent power beyond human understanding Moussa brought into play to tame this venomous creature, or is his magic just clever witchery . . . conjury ... or call it what you may ! On mv way back to Luxor I asked Mahmoud, mv dragoman, what was Moussa's secret power over the cobra. With an oriental mask of remoteness he smiled and said : "The secret is for the gods and Moussa to tell." Only his male descendant will know after Moussa is no more. Moussa guards his secret well. Only Osiris, the weigher of hearts and truths . . . the preserver of magic wisdom . . . the representative of the sun below the horizon, knows." (2JI M This scene depicts the Cow-headed Goddess Hathor receiving a gift of Lotus blossoms. Hathor wears the Sun-Disc crown supporting the Maat or ostrich plumes denoting Truth and justice, and holds the "Key of Life" in her right hand. The bird in the center is a symbol of Hathor and beneath it is an Egyptian conception of the Nile Valley — the half sphere at the top being the source of the river emptying its life-giving waters into the Lotus and Papyrus blooms which represent the Upper and Lower Egypt. THE CAMERA WILL DECIDE For the first time in history, this fall spectators and bettors at a race track will have the winners announced to them as the result of irrefutable photographic evidence of both the order and time of finishes. Furthermore, the evidence will be available for their inspection if any question arises. The innovation is the result of new scientific developments that have brought about the signing of a contract between Charles H. Strub, Vice-President and General Manager of the Los Angeles Turf Club and Electrical Research Products. Under the terms of the contract Electrical Research Products will install and operate a Western Electric Timing System at the Turf Club's Santa Anita track, thirty-five miles out of Los Angeles. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.