SNAKES AND CROCODILES 121 



quarter of a mile up from the lake. The pool 

 was about a rod long and in the widest place four 

 feet across. In the deepest spot there might have 

 been two feet of water. There, lying with his 

 head at the surface well out in the open, we saw 

 a five-foot caiman. 



I made ready to shoot him with my light rifle, 

 since I wanted very much to take back his head 

 to a museum, but both the men whispered, ' ' No ! 

 No!" so I watched to see what they would do. 

 Both took off their sandals and tightened hold 

 on their machetes. Blanco stole softly around 

 until he was behind and just over the unsuspect- 

 ing reptile. With one blow he cut into its brain, 

 and then Necto waded in and brought it out to 

 dry land. I tried several photographs with my 



Fig. 52. The caiman 



big camera, moving the caiman into the brightest 

 sunflecks to be found under the dusky jungle 

 roof, but I only proved again that there is seldom 



