The Crocodile. 59 



upon the banks like logs of trees. I have frequently 

 remarked that a buffalo, shot within a few yards of the 

 lake, has invariably disappeared during the night, 

 leaving an undoubted track where he has been dragged 

 to the water by the crocodiles. These brutes frequently 

 attack the natives when fishing or bathing, but I have 

 never heard of their pursuing any person upon dry 

 land. 



I remember an accident having occurred at Madampi, 

 on the west coast of Ceylon, about seven years ago, the 

 day before I passed through the village. A number of 

 women were employed in cutting rushes for mat-mak- 

 ing, and were about mid-deep in the water. The horny 

 tail of a large crocodile was suddenly seen above the 

 water among the group of women, and in another in- 

 stant one of them was seized by the thigh and dragged 

 toward the deeper part of the stream. In vain the ter- 

 rified creature shrieked for assistance ; the horror-stricken 

 group had rushed to the shore, and a crowd of spectators 

 on the bank offered no aid beyond their cries. It was 

 some distance before the water deepened, and the un- 

 fortunate creature was dragged for many yards, some- 

 times beneath the water, sometimes above the surface, 

 rending the air with her screams, until at length the 

 deep water hid her from their view. She was never 

 again seen. 



Some of these vermin grow to a very large size, at- 

 taining the length of twenty feet and eight feet in girth, 

 but the common size is fourteen feet. They move 

 slowly upon land, but are wonderfully fast and active 

 in the water. They commonly lie in wait for their 

 prey under some hollow bank in a deep pool, and when 

 the unsuspecting- deer or even buffalo stoops his head 



