392 
THE NEW AFRICA 
own with the sheep in its jaws, and disappeared. Later, when 
the cargo was landed on the other side, they rescued the third 
sheep, still floating untouched down the river. Next day they 
explored the banks below for the crocodiles and for the car¬ 
cases of the sheep. About two miles below they found the one 
crocodile lying by the side of the untouched carcasses of the 
two sheep in the reeds, but it fled at their approach, before 
they could get a shot at it; the other crocodile was nowhere 
visible, and probably had died from the effects of the bullets 
he had received. 
This watching by carcasses is a well-authenticated habit 
of these reptiles, who, not possessed of incisive teeth, are 
unable to eat the flesh of an animal too large to swallow at a 
gulp unless it is softened by decomposition, when they are 
able to tear the particles from each other with their claws and 
conical-shaped teeth. The tradition amongst the natives that 
crocodiles hide their food amongst the stones and reeds, or 
place great weights of stones on carcases under water to pre¬ 
vent them from floating away, is therefore based upon some 
fact. 
While crossing the river we sustained various breakages in 
our hauling gear, to repair which we had to send men five 
miles ahead to Khamani, Khama’s brother. When the boys 
returned we trekked along through wet country, caused by the 
overflow of the Mathlabaas river, to his station. 
Khamani was living on the Transvaal side of the river with 
his followers, all of whom were discontented with Khama’s 
rule. Khamani received us in a friendly manner, sending gifts 
of milk, honey, etc., to Grobelar, whom he knew and esteemed 
highly. He was the proud possessor of a single tame ostrich, 
which strolled inquisitively around our camp, a perfectly miser¬ 
able object; for Khamani, for the sake of the value of its 
feathers, with true savage instinct had plucked every single 
feather off the bird to sell, and now it stalked about naked, 
exposed' to the inclement weather with all its changes, a huge 
dirty grey living monument to Kliamani’s foolish greed. 
