CROCODILES 119 



show that, when fighting, crocodiles must attack 

 each other's stomachs. I at once went out again, 

 but he would not show fight that evening. Next 

 morning when I rowed out we saw him coming at 

 me from the opposite bank for all he was worth. 

 He evidently thought the slate-coloured boat a rival 

 on his pitch. Then, and on several other occasions, 

 I had shots at him, but failed to hit him. I think 

 I got him at last by tying up a sheep. He had 

 eaten a woman, badly mauled a sailor, and one story 

 about him appears almost incredible. The station 

 gyassa was being poled back to its mooring one 

 day when the pole on which a sailor was leaning 

 over the water was snapped from under him, and 

 the crocodile made an effort to grab the falling man, 

 who was just saved by the strength of his drawers' 

 string, which the woman cook on board managed to 

 catch as he was going overboard. 



According to native lore the reason that one so 

 seldom retrieves a crocodile is this : that, if wounded, 

 it will float with the stream till it recovers (this 

 accounts for the spasmodic appearance of crocodiles 

 far north). When it feels about to die it crawls on 

 land. They also maintain that crocodiles and ser- 

 pents come from the same eggs (sic). If the young 

 go inland the legs drop off, and they become the 

 latter. If they go towards the river they become 

 the former. 



The chief inspector sent word to the surround- 

 ing headmen to meet him at a certain place. A few 

 sent excuses, and the remainder took no notice of 



