306 



SPORT IN BENGAL. 



and waddle away as fast as he had come till he had made off 

 a dozen yards, and then he turned over as dead as Julius 

 Caesar. This was a young reptile ten feet in length, but 

 precociously vicious, or unnaturally stupid ; for it is difficult 

 to account for his attacking me as he did, instead of doing 

 his best to give me a wide berth and plenty of sea-room to 

 steer my own course, and to avoid a collision. I presume I 

 had gained upon him, and therefore finding flight useless, he 

 turned savagely round to frighten me from further pursuit. 



