THE YELLOW FISH 127 



a line of basket traps skilfully prepared for them at one 

 end of the pool. On these occasions everything of edible 

 size is taken home, but the very small fry are left on the 

 bank to die or flap back into the water according to 

 whether their luck is in or out. The variety of the catch 

 is sometimes amazing. Many of the fish however, no 

 doubt profiting by previous experience, are able to bury 

 themselves temporarily in the mud, and so escape ; at 

 any rate, there always seem to be a good many left the 

 day after even the most strenuous hunt. 



Sometimes there is a crocodile in the pool ; indeed, if 

 it is more than three feet deep in any part there is quite 

 likely to be one. The prospect of such an unpleasant 

 denizen being present does not seem to deter the ladies 

 in the least ; but if he shows himself there is a wild scurry 

 for the bank. On one occasion about twenty women 

 and small girls from some neighbouring villages were 

 taking fish from a pool in the Manzemntonto River. The 

 pool was about thirty yards each way and about two feet 

 deep in most parts except in one end where under an 

 overhanging bank there was a small hole about five feet 

 deep. As it happened this was the lair of a crocodile 

 some eight feet long. The people had of course seen the 

 tracks on the banks, but with true native apathy per- 

 suaded themselves that he had gone away, or that he 

 would be frightened of the noise. Anyhow the fishing 

 was at its height ; every one was shouting and splashing 

 through the water ; when the crocodile, which must have 

 cither been particularly hungry, or an exceptionally 

 bold specimen of his tribe, having approached under 

 cover of the mud stirred up, suddenly seized by the leg 

 a woman who was somewhat apart from her companions, 

 and close to the deep water. There was a tremendous 

 commotion. A couple of men who were there to look 



