CBOCODILES. 291 



VII. 



NOTWITHSTANDING liis thick and hard covering, the 

 crocodile is not invulnerable; that armour has its 

 defects ; the weak points are the eyes, the throat, the 

 joints of the fore-legs, and the belly, and with a well- 

 aimed shot the hunter can soon finish him. 



One of the three jellabs with whom Mr. Combes was 

 travelling was an excellent shot, and with a common 

 matchlock he had already brought down two pelicans, 

 with which the slaves were regaling themselves. 

 Nevertheless, he had several times exercised his. skill 

 in vain against the crocodiles dozing on the islands or 

 floating on the stream ; his balls glided off the scales 

 of the saurians .almost without disturbing them. At 

 length, a short distance above Carari, he was more 

 fortunate. The wind, which the night before was 

 contrary, had now fallen, and the Nile flowed gently 

 towards the sea. " On the middle of its smooth surface 

 we had seen," says Mr. Combes, " for some minutes an 

 enormous crocodile rising at intervals above the water, 

 his head constantly turned towards us, as if he had 

 been swimming backwards. The jellab who was posted 

 in the prow of the boat watched him. attentively, and 

 after having followed and studied his movements, ho 

 aimed rapidly at the moment he showed himself and 

 fired : the animal made a somersault and disappeared 



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