104 CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES 



of the physicians, whether the wounds are or are not 

 mortal. 



These people have some singular superstitions in regard to 

 dreams ; but the following is the most extraordinary of any 

 in the circle of human weaknesses. They are possessed 

 with an idea, that when one of their wives is brought to bed, 

 a crocodile is born, as a brother to the infant ; and they 

 imagine that the midwife conveys the young crocodile to an 

 adjacent river, into which she puts it, with the utmost care 

 and tenderness. Those who suppose themselves honoured 

 by the birth of this new relation fail not to put food 

 in the river for his subsistence ; but this is the peculiar duty 

 of the twin-brother, who performs this service regularly, at 

 fixed periods, during the whole course of his life ; firmly 

 believing, at the same time, that sickness or death would be 

 the consequence of an omission on his part. 



In the islands of Boutou and Celebes the natives keep 

 crocodiles in their families ; and it is conjectured, that the 

 strange idea of the twin crocodile was first conceived in one 

 of those islands : it extends, however, to Java and Sumatra 

 westward, and among the islands to the eastward as far as 

 Ceram and Timor. It is a matter of perfect astonishment, 

 how even the most ignorant and credulous of the human 

 race should firmly believe an utter impossibility to occur 

 daily ; yet it is certain, that not one of the Indians whom 

 Captain Cook questioned on the subject entertained the 

 least doubt about the matter. The crocodiles supposed to 

 be thus born are distinguished by the name of Sudaras ; 

 and our readers cannot fail of being entertained with the 

 following story respecting them, which Mr. Banks heard 

 from a young woman who was born at Bencoolen ; and 

 having lived among the English at that place, had learnt 

 to speak as much of our language as was sufficient to 

 make her story intelligible. 



She said that, when her father was on his death-bed, he 

 laid the strongest injunctions on her to feed a crocodile that 

 was his Sudara ; that he told her the name by which he 

 might be called up, and the particular part of the river 

 where she would find him. Soon after the death of her 

 father, she hastened to the river, and calling Radja Pouti 

 (which signifies white king), the Sudara crocodile made his 

 appearance, and she fed him with her own hands. She 

 described him as being more beautiful than crocodiles are in 

 general, for he had a red nose, and spots on his body ; his 

 ears were adorned with rings, and his feet with ornaments 

 of gold. This story will appear the more extravagantly 

 ridiculous when it is recollected that crocodiles have not 

 any ears. 



