602 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



the crocodile. Throughout the night} the unwieldy monsters 

 might be heard snorting and blowing during their aquatic 

 gambols, and we riot unfrequently detected them in the act 

 of sallying from their reed-grown coverts to graze by light 

 of the moon ; never, however, venturing to any distance from 

 the river, the strong-hold to which they betake themselves on 

 the smallest alarm. Occasionally during the day they were 

 to be seen basking on the shore amid oose and mud, but 

 shots were more constantly to be had at their uncouth heads 

 when protruded from the water to draw breath, and if killed, 

 the body rose to the surface. Vulnerable only behind the 

 ear, however, or in the eye, which is placed in a prominence 

 so as to resemble the garret window in a dutch house, they 

 require the perfection of rifle practice, and after a few shots, 

 become exceedingly shy, exhibiting the snout only, and as 

 instantly withdrawing it. The flesh is delicious, resembling 

 pork in flavor, and abounding in fat, which in the colony is 

 deservedly esteemed the greatest of delicacies. The hide is 

 upward of an inch and a half in thickness, and being scarcely 

 flexible may be drawn from the ribs in strips, like the planks 

 from a ship's side. Of these are manufactured a superior 

 description of jambok, the elastic whip already noticed as 

 being an indispensable piece of furniture to every boor pro- 

 ceeding on a journey. Our followers encumbered the wagons 

 with a large investment of them, and of the canine teeth, the 

 ivory of which is extremely profitable. 



It is truly surprising how completely a little cool common 

 sense will sometimes strip a favorite marvel of all prodigious 

 attributes. The thing was never more completely done than 

 by Harris in this instance. Being a clever artist himself, 

 he took sketches of the animal on the spot ; which fully 

 confirm his words, if they were not equally strengthened by 

 other travellers in the same region. But Mr. Gumming, 

 however, has chosen to dissent from him after a fashion so 

 peculiarly his own, that I cannot, among other reasons, 



