^' In a Primeval Forest 



patches of vegetation. The character of the flora has 

 something northern about it to the unlearned eye, as is the 

 case so often in East Africa. It is only when you come 

 suddenly upon the Dutch palms {Borassus cethiopictis, 

 Mart., or the beautiful Hyphcene thebaica, Mart.) that you 

 feel once again that you are in the tropics. 



The river now makes a great curve round to the right. 

 A different kind of scene opens out to the gaze — a great 

 stretch of open country. In the foreground the mud-banks 

 of the stream are astir with huge crocodiles gliding into 

 the water and moving about this way and that, like 

 tree-trunks come suddenly to life. Now they vanish from 

 sight, but only to take up their position in ambush, ready 

 to snap at any breathing thing that comes unexpectedly 

 within their reach. Doubtless they find it the more easy 

 to sink beneath the surface of the river by reason of the 

 great number of sometimes quite heavy stones they have 

 swallowed, and have inside them. I have sometimes found 

 as much as seven pounds of stones and pebbles in the 

 stomach of a crocodile. 



The deep reaches of the river are their special domain. 

 Multitudes of birds frequent the shallows, knowing from 

 experience that they are safe from their enemy. One 

 of the most interesting things that have come under my 

 observation is the way these birds keep aloof from the 

 deep waters which the crocodiles infest. I have mentioned 

 it elsewhere, but am tempted to allude to it once again. 



Our attention is caught by the wonderful wealth of 

 bird-life now spread out before us in every direction. 

 Here comes a flock of the curious clatter-bills (A/ia- 



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