30 



THE CROCODILE. 



and is a dangerous foe to cattle or other beasts that come to the river-side for drink. Some 

 persons rehite that when its intended victim does not come sufficiently near to be snapped up, 

 the Crocodile crawls to the banks, and Avitli a sweeji of its long and poweil'ul tail strikes the 

 poor creature into the water, where it is immediately seized in the Crocodile's ready jaws. 



Human beings have a great dread of this terrible reptile. Many instances are known 

 where men have been surprised near the water's edge, or captured when they have fallen 

 into the river. There is, it is said, only one way of escape from the jaws of a Crocodile, and 



FALSE (jlAVlAL. — MeoUUjps catai)hractus. 



that is to turn boldly upon the scaly foe, and press the thumbs into his eyes, so as to force 

 him to relax liis hold, or relinquish the pursuit. Mr. Petherick relates a curious instance, 

 where a man was drawing water, and was chased by a Crocodile into the recess in the earth 

 in which he was standing while working the lever of the "shadoof." The man crouched as 

 far back as he could squeeze himself, and the Crocodile tried to follow him, but got itself so 

 firmly wedged in tlie narrow channel tlu'ough which it was endeavoring to force its way, that 

 it could neither reach the man, whose trembling breast was within a span of the reptile's 

 terrible teeth, nor reti'eat from the strange position into which it had forced itself. After 

 spending some time in terror, the poor man contrived to give the alarm to his comrades, 

 who came running to Ids assistance, and despatched the Crocodile as it lay helplessly fixed in 

 the crevice. 



The plates vvhich cover the skin of the Crocodile are of exceeding hardness, so hard, 

 indeed, that they are employed as armor by some ingenious warriors. A coat of natural 

 scale armor formed from the Crocodile skin may sometimes be seen. Even a rifie ball 

 may be turned by these horny plates, provided that it strikes rather obliquely ; and they 

 are impervious to ordinary steel weapons. Modern rifies, however, especially if the ball is 

 hardened with solder or tin, make little account of the plates, but cut their way through them 

 without difficulty. 



