270 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



immense crocodile had basked for several hours on a sandy 

 spit at the mouth of the creek. 



In passing the opening of the creek, now quite shallow, 

 we saw a number of porpoises rolling in the tide in the 

 apparent enjoyment of a hearty meal upon shoals of small 

 fish brought down by the ebb ; and among them, too, appeared 

 the sharp wicked-looking back fins of some sharks cutting 

 through the water here and there, close-hauled and with tacks 

 on board, engaged in a similar diversion. Had we been pro- 

 vided with a couple of light harpoons, with lines attached, we 

 might have enjoyed a sport both novel and exciting, since 

 some of the porpoises were huge, and the sharks from four to 

 seven feet in length. 



A little islet lay at the mouth of the river, about a 

 mile from us, and half that distance from the opposite bank. 

 Well wooded down to the water's edge, and its southern 

 extremity stretching out wedge -like towards the sea in a 

 narrow spit, the total length may have been three miles, and the 

 greatest breadth less than one mile. On stepping on board 

 the boat, the " Serang " (native boatswain) reported that 

 great numbers of deer had shown themselves upon its shores 

 where they were comparatively clear of forest till ten o'clock, 

 and that some crocodiles of extraordinary size had basked in 

 the sun till high-water on little sandy points ; but no other 

 creatures had been seen from the boat. 



The boatmen having in our absence taken some good 

 fish in nets, including a basketful of "bummelow," we all 

 fared well that evening, and the night again passing in 

 perfect quiet, we rose at dawn ready for a heavy day's 

 work. 



As the jolly-boat, which pulled four oars, could not 

 accommodate all the men needed to cut up the rhinoceri 

 shot the day before, it was my intention to leave the 

 " Serang " in charge of the boat with four of her crew, be- 

 sides the cook, " Khidmutgar," and bearer, while my gun- 

 carrier, who could shoot a little, took command of a party 

 composed of the tent-pitcher and four boatmen, and armed 



