A Sea-Going Crocodile 



his head with a ringing blow, and he scrambled into 

 the water and shot away, followed by a big wave. 



" We had but twenty or thirty feet to go, and 

 reached the entrance just in time to see the big fellow 

 coming. As he went by, in about three feet of water, 

 I hurled the spear into him; the next moment the 

 dinghy was flying through the water, as if behind a 

 side-wheeler, sending the foam into the air, while the 

 Indian and myself lay back, braced against the 

 thwarts, and hung on to the line for dear life. 



" Such a heat could not be of long duration, and 

 after hauling us down the reef for half a mile our 

 reptilian steed showed signs of weakening, whereupon 

 the Indian began to haul in the line. This started 

 the crocodile to renewed exertions ; but it was a tem- 

 porary spurt, and we soon succeeded in getting along- 

 side. As the corrugated back appeared at the sur- 

 face, glistening in the sunlight, I put another bullet 

 into it ; and now I have to call your attention to what 

 I consider a remarkable case of ' playing possum.' 

 At the second shot the crocodile rolled over, appar- 

 ently dead, so that I seized him by the flipper and took 

 a turn about it with a rope. 



" He was longer than the boat, but we succeeded 

 after a little trouble in dragging him in by taking out 

 the seat and putting it on his back, literally sitting on 

 the monster. Old Bob managed to use the oars, and, 

 well satisfied, flushed with victory, we moved back in 

 the direction of the yacht. 



297 



