Oji riding on the Back of a Crocodile. 



13 



them, I feel assured that they exist, and are extremely for- 

 midable, both in stature and cunning. I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



S. BOWDICH. 



Art. III. On riding on the Back of a Crocodile, By J. H. P. H. 



Many people on possessing the original and highly interesting 

 Wanderings in South America, by Charles Waterton, Esq,, 

 altogether disbelieve his account of catching the crocodile, or, 

 as it is here called, the Cayman, and laugh at the extreme im- 

 probability of his having '^jumped on his hacky in order to 

 conquer him. {fig, 4.) This the greater part of his readers 



have looked upon as a fiction ; and others have considered it 

 as a downright falsehood. The following observations, there- 

 fore, will tend to counteract this idea, and to show that it has 

 actually been the custom, among some nations, both in ancient 

 and modern times, to mount on the backs of crocodiles, that 

 these animals may be taken with more facility and safety. 



The great Roman naturalist gives this curious description 

 of catching crocodiles: — " Gens hominum est crocodilo ad- 

 versa in ipso Nilo Tentyritae, ab insula in qua habitat appel- 

 lata. Mensura eorum parva, sed prsesentia animi in hoc tan- 

 turn usu mira. Terribilis haec contra fugaces bellua est, fugax 

 contra insequentes, sed adversum ire soli hi audent. Quin- 

 etiam flumini innatant, dorsoque equitantium modo imposiHi 

 liiantibus resupino capite ad morsum, addita in os clava, dex- 

 tra ac Iseva tenentes extrema ejus utrinque, ut fraenis in terram 



