THE LIZARD KIND. 



713 



formidable animal, that unpeoples countries, 

 and makes the most navigable rivers desert 

 and dangerous. They are seen, in some 

 places, lying for whole hours, and even days, 

 stretched in the sun, and motionless ; so that 

 one not used to them might mistake them for 

 trunks of trees, covered with a rough and dry 

 bark; but the mistake would soon be fatal, if 

 not prevented : for the torpid animal, at the 

 near approach of any living thing, darts upon 

 it with instant swiftness, and at once drags it 

 down to the bottom. In the times of an in- 

 undation, they sometimes enter the cottages 

 of the natives, where the dreadful visitant 

 seizes the first animal it meets with. There 

 have been several examples of their taking a 

 man out of a canoe in the sight of his com- 

 panions, without their being able to lend him 

 any assistance. 



The strength of every part of the crocodile 

 is very great ; and its arms, both offensive and 

 defensive, irresistible. We have seen, from 

 the shortness of its legs, the amazing strength 

 of the tortoise : but what is the strength of 

 such an animal, compared to that of the cro- 

 codile, whose legs are very short, and whose 

 size is so superior ! The back-bone is jointed 

 in the firmest manner ; the muscles of the fore 

 and hinder legs are vigorous and strong ; and 

 its whole form calculated for force. Its teeth 

 are sharp, numerous, and formidable ; its 

 claws are long and tenaceous ; but its princi- 

 pal instrument of destruction is the tail : with 

 a single blow of this it has often overturned a 

 canoe, and seized upon the poor savage its 

 conductor. 



Though not so powerful, yet it is very terri- 

 ble even upon land. The crocodile seldom, 

 except when pressed by hunger, or with a 

 view of depositing its eggs, leaves the water. 

 Its usual method is to float along upon the 

 surface, and seize whatever animals come 

 within its reach ; but when this method fails, 

 it then goes closer to the bank. Disappointed 

 of its fishy prey, it there waits covered up 

 among the sedges, in patient expectation of 

 some land animal that comes to drink ; the 

 dog, the bull, the tiger, or man himself. No- 

 thing is to be seen of the insidious destroyer 

 as the animal approaches ; nor is its retreat 

 discovered, till it be too late for safety. It 

 seizes the victim with a spring, and goes at a 

 bound much farther than so unwieldy an ani- 



mal could be thought capable of exerting, 

 then having secured the creature with both 

 teeth and claws, it drags it into the water, in- 

 stantly sinks with it to the bottom, and, in 

 this manner, quickly drowns it. 



Sometimes it happens that the creature the 

 crocodile has thus surprised escapes from its 

 grasp wounded, and makes off from the river 

 side. In such a case the tyrant pursues \\ith 

 ad its force, and often seizes it a second tin < ; 

 for, though seemingly heavy, the crocod!:<: 

 runs with great celerity. In this manner i; is 

 sometimes seen above half a mile from the 

 bank, in pursuit of an animal wounded be- 

 yond the power of escaping, and then drag- 

 ging it back to the river-side, where it leasts 

 in security. 



It often happens, in its depredations along 

 the bank, that the crocodile seizes on a crea- 

 ture as formidable as itself, and meets with a 

 most desperate resistance. We are told of 

 frequent combats between the crocodile and 

 the tiger. All creatures of the tiger kind are 

 continually oppressed by a parching thirst, 

 that keeps them in the vicinity of great rivers, 

 whither they descend to drink very frequently. 

 It is upon these occasions that they are seized 

 by the crocodile; and they die not unrevenged. 

 The instant they are seized upon, they turn 

 with the greatest agility, and force their claws 

 into the crocodile's eyes, while he plunges 

 with his fierce antagonist into the river. There 

 they continue to struggle for some time, till at 

 last the tiger is drowned. 



In this manner the crocodile seizes and de- 

 stroys all animals, and is equally dreaded by 

 all. There is no animal but man alone that 

 can combat it with success. We are assured 

 by Labat, that a Negro, with no other wea- 

 pons than a knife in his~ right hand, and his 

 left arm wrapped round with a cow-hide, ven- 

 tures boldly to attack this animal in its own 

 element. As soon as he approaches the cro- 

 codile, he presents his left arm, which the ani- 

 mal swallows most greedily ; but sticking in 

 its throat, the Negro has time to give it seve- 

 ral stabs under the throat ; and the water also 

 getting in at the mouth, which is held involun- 

 tarily open, the creature is soon bloated up as 

 big as a tun, and expires. 



To us who live at a distance from the* 

 rapacity of these animals, these stories 

 appear strange, and yet most probably are 



