CROCODILES. 295 



off the choice bait, swallows the hook also. The more 

 he struggles the farther the hoo\ penetrates the flesh. 

 They follow all his movements, slackening the cord, 

 and wait till he is dead to draw him up from the 

 bottom of the water." 



This latter proseoding is the same as that which 

 is employed by the negroes of Carolina, against the 

 caymans, except that they attach the bait and the hook 

 to a tree by an iron chain. 



The negroes of Florida join together to the number 

 of ten or twelve, take a large stake, and seizing the 

 moment when the saurian is on the land, they go in 

 front of the beast, and force the stake into his mouth, 

 after which it is not difficult to finish him. Thunberg 

 also reports that the Javanese use baits for the purpose 

 of taking him. "They attach a wooden hook to the 

 end of a cord slightly twisted, and bait it with a piece 

 of carrion. No sooner has the crocodile swallowed 

 this bait, than he struggles uselessly to cut the cord. 

 It gets between his teeth. Besides, the hook which 

 he has in his throat prevents him from closing his 

 mouth, and the hunters, well armed, soon put him to 

 death." 



Lastly, the Siamese take the crocodile by two 

 methods, which the Count de Forbin describes in these 

 terms : " For the first they take a live duck, and 

 under it they attach a piece of wood about six inches 



