-* Buffaloes and Crocodiles 



some of these beasts, but I could not at first succeed. 1 

 hit at last, however, upon a plan which brought me to the 

 desired end. A piece of flesh with bones was attached 

 to the hook with some string, and the line was thrown 

 into the water at night and by moonlight. If it was seized 

 by a crocodile, I let out some fifty or more yards of a 

 tight, strong rope, such as is used in pike-fishing ; then the 

 crocodile began to take a hold, but was in every case far 

 too knowing actually to swallow the hook. Carefully 

 hidden in the bushes some ten to twenty men pulled in the 

 prey, often weighing more than a thousand pounds. As 

 it came near it beat and splashed the water violently 

 with its powerful tail. Now was the time to lodge a 

 quick bullet in its head by the light of the moon. 



A shot from a small-calibre rifle cripples the monster 

 absolutely, if only it is hit somewhere near the head. It 

 han^s motionless on to the line without opening its terrible 

 jaws in death, but giving out an unbearable stench. With 

 the help of a very strong and thick rope fastened round 

 its body, one now succeeds in bringing it to land. 

 A kind of barbed harp ion, fastened on to a long pole, 

 is very effective at this stage. 



Working by night on these lines we generally caught 

 six or more crocodiles, twelve or thirteen feet in length. 

 Of course there were many failures. 



On these occasions I learnt to know and fear the 

 tremendous strength of the blows that can be given by 

 their tails. One of my men was very keen on this sport, 

 having once been seized hold of and nearly drawn under 

 the water by a crocodile ! For hours he watched the 



293 



