Obferv alien* refpe cling the Crocodile. 399 



The above account affords another proof of the little de- 

 pendence to be placed upon phyficians in the application of 

 fuels to practice ; and the more glaring" they are, it feems, 

 the more heedlefs, or even ftupid, they have been in fome 

 inflances,. as in the prefent cafe. It now appears that the 

 cow-pox prevails not only in the weftern counties of Eng- 

 land, where the farmers difcovered that their fervants or 

 them (elves were exempted from the fmall-pox by having 

 had the cow-pox ; but the fame difeafe and the fame fact of 

 exemption were alio known in other Englifh counties; m 

 Ireland, in Holftein, in Denmark, in many parts of Ger- 

 many,, and even near Gottingen, in Switzerland, and in the 

 Milanefe. Nay, as long ago as 1769, the German jour- 

 nal! (is announced thefe facts, and the advantages over the 

 fmall-pox. 



L.XVII. Some curious Obfervailons refpecling the Crocodile, 

 By C. FiXAKK/Pbyfician to the French Army of the Eajh 



'WlJ E N Egypt and the Nile become the fubject of con- 

 verfation in Europe, the danger to which people are expofed 

 of befog devoured by the crocodile is commonly mentioned. 

 It is, however, not generally known that this amphibious 

 animal is never feen in that part of the Nile which traverfeS 

 Lower Egypt, and that to obtain a fight of this monfter it is 

 neceffary to go up the river a considerable way into the 

 Thebaide. I never found any crocodiles till I had got a good 

 way beyond Gyrge. This animal quits its retreats at the 

 bottom of the water during the warm days, and when the 

 Nile is low, and places itfelf on the fand-banks, which are 

 then frequently met with. It was in the months of April 

 and May that I travelled in the Said. The crocodile feldom 

 appears on the banks, of the river, except when little fre- 

 quented, or when accefs to them is difficult. It appears that 

 the crocodile is aware of the danger to which it would be ex- 

 pofed without that precaution. In general, it never goes to 

 a greater diftance from the water than about fix paces. The 

 leaft noife awakens it. I never was able to get within mufket 

 mot of it Befides, as the animal is covered with very hard 

 fcales, it is almoft impoffible to kill it, unlefs it be wounded 

 exactly under one of the (boulders. I found at Dendera a 

 kachej who took a lingular delight in hunting the crocodile; 

 he had killed, in fucceffion, feven of them, which I faw 

 placed on the terrace of his houfe in fuch a manner, that at 

 fome diftance they refembled fo many. cannon. If the natives 

 5 moot 



