O F S E R P E N T S- ii- 



pagate Truth, have always had Vengeance and Wrath breath 'd 

 out againfl them, and have been expofed to the fame Fate as the 

 Tentyrians . 



The Habitations of Crocodiles are generally in great RiverSj. 

 as the Ganges in yljia, one of the greateft Rivers in the World, 

 and which is accounted facred : Its Water is clear and fweetj, 

 weighs an Ounce in a Pint lighter than any other Water in ths 

 Country: The Great Mogul'^ Coxat dnnk none elfe with their 

 Wine. Thefe monftrous Animals are alfo found in the Nile and 

 Niger, two of the greateft Rivers in Africa j and alfo in the great 

 Rivers of America, efpecially thofe of the Amazo?is, which abouni 

 with Crocodiles of vaft Bignefs, that very much annoy the Inha- 

 bitants. 



GEM ELL I in the Atlas, fays the Crocodile is hatch'd of aa 

 Egg no bigger than that of a Turky, but grows to thirty Foot; 

 long, the Back arm'd with impenetrable Scales, the Mouth wide 

 enough to fwallow an Heifer, and only moves the upper Jaw ; 

 it fees better by Water than Land, is cowardly, and generally 

 £ie& fromi thofe that attack it,, but daring enough otherwife ; for 

 which reafon the Egypt iafts made it the Hieroglyphick of Impu- 

 dence. — They have no Tongue, and eat nothing in all the autum- 

 nal Quarter *. 



This Animal has a great Dexterity in catching Wild-fowl,' 

 which always abound in thofe great Rivers, and along Sea-fhores,,. 

 as Ducks, Teab, and other Water-fowls : When in want of 

 Food, he goes into the Sea, where he lies in fuch a manner,, that 

 the upper Part of his Back appears above the Water, and looks 

 like a piece of Timber floating,- the wild Fowls miftrufling no- 

 thing, come fo near it, that he immediately devoura them ;. They 

 lurk among Reeds and Buflies, on the Banks of Rivers and great 

 Fools, from whence they fuddenly leap out, and eat up theif 

 Prey, which fometimes happens to be People that come to drink 

 or fetch Water. 



T H E Inhabitants of iVf^i/dt^-^^r, an African Idnndy lookupofi- 

 Crocodiles as Devils, and fwear by them:. When Differences- 

 happen among them, they go to a River, where he that is to^ 

 fwear throws himfelf into the Water, and conjures the Crocodiles , 

 to be Arbitrators betwixt him and his Adverfary,^ and to let bim 



Ibe. 



