A HUGE CROCODILE SHOT. 273 



a peninsular, well-wooded spot, and proceeded to take up 

 the spoor. These elephants had at first fed for many- 

 hours among thorns in the vicinity of the river, and then 

 marched in a long string right away out of the coun- 

 try. After following the spoor for a great many miles, 

 P became annoyed and gave it up. 



On the 31st, as I was riding along the river's bank, 

 about two miles below the spot where some days be- 

 fore I had fired at a large crocodile, I came upon a 

 similar reptile lying asleep on the opposite side, which 

 I shot dead on the spot, putting the ball through the 

 spine close into the back of the head. On receiving the 

 ball, he only made a slight convulsive movement, and 

 then remained still and motionless as if still asleep, not 

 having in the slightest degree altered his position : a 

 copious stream of blood issued from the wound, and 

 colored the shallow water in which he lay. Having 

 crossed the river at a drift about a mile below, I rodo 

 up to inspect this hideous monster of the river, which, 

 to my surprise, I found to be the same one at which j 

 on the 28th, I had fired, and, as I supposed, killed. 

 He bore the marks of both my bullets, one of which had 

 fractured a part of his skull. The crocodile was a very 

 old fellow, and a fine specimen, its length being up- 

 ward of twelve feet. I resolved, therefore, to preserve 

 the skin, and with this intention, in the forenoon, march- 

 ed down six men, who were occupied until sundown in 

 the novel work of flaying the crocodile. When, how- 

 ever, they had accomplished their undertaking, I made 

 up my mind that we should not be able to preserve 

 the entire skin, and determined only to keep the head, 

 which we brought to camp. The night set in with a 

 heavy storm of wind, accompanied with rain. Return- 

 ing from skinning the crocodile to camp, I found the 



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