286 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER ch. xxxii 
At Mpimbi, there occurred, some years ago, a 
most extraordinary incident. A native, having just 
stepped into his canoe and being in a talkative 
mood, remarked to a companion standing on the 
bank :—‘ Only a week ago, a crocodile killed my 
mother and some day, I dare say, I shall share the 
same fate.’ With these words he bent down to 
reach for the pole with which be propelled his canoe. 
Immediately a crocodile seized him by the arm, and 
before his friend could even make an attempt at 
rescue, the poor fellow had vanished into the water, 
never to reappear. 
Once, on the Shire River, a similar tragedy was 
only averted by the timely presence of a European. 
As a canoe was being poled across stream by a 
native, a crocodile thrust his snout over the frail 
vessel, capsizing it, and, as the occupant fell 
headlong into the water, seized him by the arm and 
was about to disappear, when a European (I believe 
his name was Henderson) who was fortunately on 
the opposite bank of the river, on the look-out for 
crocodiles, seeing the native’s predicament, at once 
fired and killed the reptile. The injured man was 
promptly rescued and taken ashore, where his arm 
was amputated, and, recovering from his dreadful 
experience, for years earned his living as a letter- 
carrier. 
