xni THE CROCODILE 259 



seen in many parts of India, where these creatures exist in small 

 lakes or tanks, which are perfectly exhausted during the hottest 

 season. At that time there cannot be the slightest doubt that 

 they are buried in the mud, which dries and hardens above them, 

 in which torpid state they exist until released by the refilling of 

 the tank in the rainy season. Under such conditions the crocodile 

 never grows to a large size, but it is limited to 8 or 9 feet. 



The largest that I ever saw were of such extraordinary dimen- 

 sions that I could scarcely believe the reality, although within 

 only a few yards of our canoe ; I had a life's experience among 

 these creatures, but I never had the faintest conception that such 

 monsters were in existence. We were travelling up the Victoria 

 Nile, my wife, myself, and two attendants, in addition to the 

 native crew of a very large canoe (about 30 feet in length). 

 Another canoe was about 50 yards astern, full of wounded men : 

 the troops were marching through forest parallel with the river ; 

 this was about 500 yards in width, very deep, with a current so 

 slight as to be almost imperceptible. There had been serious 

 fighting during a forest march of seven consecutive days, and 

 although we were approaching a friendly tribe, I did not wish to 

 proclaim our presence by the report of firearms. 



We were paddling with six rowers along this desolate river, 

 bordered upon either side by lofty papyrus and sombre forests, 

 when we observed a small island, a portion of the area being over- 

 grown with the very graceful but mournful-looking rush (papyrus) ; 

 this had taken root in a shallow soil formed by rotten vegetation, 

 which had drifted upon the hard granite that formed the basis of 

 the isle. The bare gray granite shelved gradually towards the 

 water, and exposed a clear surface of about 60 feet ; upon this 

 were large rounded masses resembling boulders of rock, which had 

 resisted the process of gradual disintegration. It was a pictur- 

 esque and unexpected island, a huge rock rising suddenly from the 

 deep water. 



The canoe drew near, and when within about 20 yards the 

 great boulders of granite began to move ! I could not believe my 

 eyes ; great masses commenced to unfold, and in a few seconds 

 resolved themselves into two vast forms, each as thick as the 

 body of a hippoptamus, and of enormous length. These two 

 antediluvian monsters glided slowly and fearlessly along the 

 gently sloping granite, and when half beneath the water they 

 exposed a breadth of back which was the most extraordinary sight 

 I have ever seen in my long experience of crocodiles. 



We stopped the canoe for a few moments, but I would not fire 



