Death of a Crocodile. 63 



ther accidents. There sat the captain of the fragile 

 vessel in the most abject state of terror. We were close 

 to the shore, and the water was not more than three 

 feet deep, and yet he dared not jump out of the canoe, 

 as the rushes were again brushing against its sides, 

 being moved by the hidden beast at the bottom. There 

 was no help for him, so, after vainly imploring me to 

 shove the canoe into deep water, he at length sat still. 



In a few minutes the body of the buffalo again moved, 

 and the head and shoulders of a crocodile appeared 

 above water and took a bite of some pounds of flesh. 

 I could not get a shot at the head from his peculiar 

 position, but I put a ball through his shoulders, and 

 immediately shoved the canoe astern. Had I not done 

 this we should most likely have been upset, as the 

 wounded brute began to lash out with his tail in all 

 directions, till he at length retired to the bottom among 

 the rushes. Here I could easily track him, as he slowly 

 moved along, by the movement of the reeds. Giving 

 the native^the paddle, I now by threats induced him to 

 keep the canoe over the very spot where . the rushes 

 were moving, and we slowly followed on the track, 

 while I kept watch in the bow of the canoe with a rifle. 



Suddenly the movement in the rushes ceased and the 

 canoe stopped accordingly. I leaned slightly over the 

 side to look into the water, when up came a large air- 

 bubble, and directly afterward an apparition in the 

 shape of some fifteen pounds of putrid flesh. The 

 stench was frightful, but I knew my friend must be 

 very bad down below to disgorge so sweet a morsel. I 

 therefore took the paddle and poked for him ; the water 

 being shallow 1 felt him immediately. Again the rushes 

 moved ; I felt the paddle twist as his scaly back glided 



