128 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



after the safety of their women folk, and were sitting 

 on the bank close by, at once leaped in, and stabbed the 

 crocodile about the eyes with their spears. The reptile, 

 thus attacked, seemed to lose his head, let go the woman 

 he was holding, and proceeded to dash about through the 

 shallow water of the pool with his mouth open. The 

 men pluckily chased him, but he had apparently had 

 enough for the day, and having found his bit of deep 

 water again, disappeared from sight. The woman was 

 not much the worse for her experience, but it put an end 

 to the fishing for that day. 



In the Transvaal low country there are two types of 

 eels, one is much like the ordinary fresh water European 

 eel, the other considerably larger. 



Of the vast number of different kinds of fishes in- 

 habiting the temperate and sub-tropical waters of south 

 Africa, it is possible to give but the merest outline. 

 Many of them appear quite indifferent to the ordinary 

 lures of the angler, and except among natives catches 

 are but little likely to be seen by the white man who is 

 not specially looking for them. It is quite worth while 

 looking through a native catch, as you will probably see 

 some most remarkable looking creatures. 



The great African lakes are full of a vast multitude 

 of fish, and a day on Lake Nyasa resulted in the catching 

 of at least six different species, of the names of which, I 

 regret to say, I was, and am, entirely ignorant. 



