602 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
the crocodile. Throughout the night, the unwieldy monsters 
might be heard snorting and blowing during their aquatic 
gambols, and we not unfrequently detected them in the act 
of sallying from their reed-grown coverts to graze by light 
of the moon; never, however, venturing to any distance from 
‘ the river, the strong-hold to which they betake themselves on 
the smallest alarm. Occasionally during the day they were 
to be seen basking on the shore amid oose and mud, but 
shots were more constantly to be had at their. uncouth heads 
when protruded from the water to draw breath, and if killed, 
the body rose to the surface. Vulnerable only behind the 
ear, however, or in the eye, which is placed in a prominence 
so as to resemble the garret window in a dutch house, they 
require the perfection of rifle practice, and after a few shots, 
become exceedingly shy, exhibiting the snout only, and as 
instantly withdrawing it. The flesh is delicious, resembling 
pork in flavor, and abounding in fat, which in the colony is 
deservedly esteemed the greatest of delicacies. The hide is 
upward of an inch and a half in thickness, and being scarcely 
flexible may be drawn from the ribs in strips, like the planks 
from a ship’s side. Of these are manufactured a superior 
description of jambok, the elastic whip already noticed as 
being an indispensable piece of furniture to every boor pro- 
ceeding on a journey. Our followers encumbered the wagons 
with a large investment of them, and of the canine teeth, the 
ivory of which is extremely profitable. 
It is truly surprising how completely a little cool common 
sense will sometimes strip a favorite marvel of all prodigious 
attributes. The thing was never more completely done than 
by Harris. in this instance. Being a clever artist himself, 
he took sketches of the animal on the spot; which fully 
confirm his words, if they were not equally strengthened by 
other travellers in the same region. But Mr. Cumming, 
however, has chosen to dissent from him after a fashion so 
peculiarly his own, that I cannot, among other reasons, 
