516 THE NOETHERN FORESTS. [Pakt IX. 



is calm, and by means of its inflated vesicles floats lightly 

 on the sm^face. 



The fort is siirromided by the remains of a mihtary 

 ditch of considerable depth, and, as usual, filled ^vitli 

 crocodiles. The day before our arrival one of them 

 seized a sheep within a few yards of the Eesidence and 

 was dragging it through the shallow water, when the 

 coohes gave chase, and the reptile abandoned his captive 

 and fled. Another inlet of the sea which we crossed on 

 leavinsf Moeletivoe was also swarming; -with these crea- 

 tures : we passed it at a point called Wattor-Avakall-aar 

 on a ledge of sunken rocks ahnost level ^vith the water, 

 and at least twenty of them were resting their noses on 

 the stones within a dozen yards of our path, the rest of 

 their bodies being covered by the water. We did not 

 molest them, and they took not the shghtest notice of us. 



