THE LAST FRONTIER 



that we had mistaken the place, and had fired into 

 empty air. 



In this manner we gathered the twelve we required 

 between us. At noon we sat under the bank, with 

 the tangled roots of trees above us, and the smooth 

 oily river slipping by. You may be sure we always 

 selected a spot protected by very shoal water, for 

 the crocodiles were numerous. I always shot these 

 loathsome creatures whenever I got a chance, and 

 whenever the sound of a shot would not alarm more 

 valuable game. Generally they were to be seen in 

 midstream, just the tip of their snouts above water, 

 and extraordinarily like anything but crocodiles. 

 Often it took several close scrutinies through the 

 glass to determine the brutes. This required rather 

 nice shooting. More rarely we managed to see them 

 on the banks, or only half submerged. In this posi- 

 tion, too, they were all but undistinguishable as 

 living creatures. I think this is perhaps because of 

 their complete immobility. The creatures of the 

 woods, standing quite' still, are difficult enough to 

 see; but I have a notion that the eye, unknown to 

 itself, catches the sum total of little flexings of the 

 muscles, movements of the skin, winkings, even the 

 play of wind and light in the hair of the coat, all of 

 which, while impossible of analysis, together relieve 

 the appearance of dead inertia. The vitality of a 



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