50 THE CROCODILE. 



mals are hunted by means of strong dogs properly 

 trained, and armed with spiked collars. 



The natives of Siam take Crocodiles by placing 

 three or four strong nets across a river, at proper 

 distances from each other ; so that, if the animal 

 breaks through the first, he may be caught in some 

 of the others. When he finds himself fastened, he 

 lashes every thing around him with great violence 

 with his enormous tail.- After he has struggled 

 some time, and is become exhausted, the men ap- 

 proach in boats, and pierce him in the most tender 

 parts of his body with spears. 



Labat assures us, (but whether his assertion is to 

 be trusted or not I cannot say,) that a negro 

 armed only with a knife in his right hand, and 

 having his left wrapped round with thick leather, 

 will venture boldly to attack the Crocodile in his 

 own element. As soon as he observes his enemy 

 near, the man puts out his left arm, which the 

 beast immediately seizes in its mouth. He then 

 gives it several stabs below the chin, where the skin 

 is very tender; and the water coming in at the 

 mouth, thus involuntarily held open, the creature 

 is soon destroyed. 



The Crocodile, from its immense size and vora- 

 cious habits, is certainly an object of fear ; and, 

 by no very uncommon transition of sentiment, has 

 also gradually become an object of veneration ; and 

 offerings are in some countries made to it as to a 

 deity. The inhabitants of Java, when attacked by 

 disease, will sometimes build a kind of coop, and 

 fill It with such eatables as they think most agree- 



