With Flashlight and Rifle ^ 



line I had thrown, ready to prompt me at the critical 

 moment. He had sworn vengeance on " mamba," and 

 danced with glee every time I managed to catch or kill 

 one of the beasts. 



The contents of the stomachs usually consisted of 

 bones from mammals and fishes. Besides, there was in 

 every stomach a large number of pieces of quartz, which 

 had either been ground quite round before swallowing 

 or had ' undergone this operation in the stomach. In 

 any case they were necessary for the complete process 

 of digestion. These pieces of quartz were sometimes 

 quite large about the size of an apple. In one of the 

 animals I found a vulture, whole and entire, which had 

 been swallowed unmasticated. As the bird's skin was 

 spoilt I threw it into the river. Crocodiles are capable 

 of swallowing immense objects in this way. In 1900, 

 during the time of drought and famine, I' killed crocodiles 

 whose stomachs contained human bones swallowed almost 

 uncrushed. 



It is most interesting but very difficult to watch the 

 real life of the crocodile, about which unfortunately so 

 little is yet known. Even the younger ones are extremely 

 shy and cautious. Should they happen to have scrambled 

 on to the branches overhanging the water they dive at 

 once and remain out of sight. The older they grow the 

 shyer they- become. They keep in such deep water that 

 they are able to seize their prey without exposing 

 themselves to view. I have often found crocodiles 

 lurking near the drinking-places of the wild herds, lying 

 in wait for them. 



294 



