6 o 
Relation 
Crocodiles. 
[1671 
to make them promise that they will be faithful & that 
they will do nothing contrary to that which they desire of 
them : they do not swear very false. 
The French content themselves with this oath: but 
between themselves, besides these sorts of swearing, the 
natives also swear by the Crocodile, which they name Voa, 
with which the Rivers and Lakes of this Island are full; 
saying that they wish to be eaten by them, if they have 
done that of which they are accus’d; this done, they are 
oblig’d to pass through a river, which they do. It also 
happens often that in passing through the water, they are 
taken & eaten by these Crocodiles 1 or Voa. The spec¬ 
tators of this fine proof of truth say that such an one has 
done the thing of which he was accus’d, ’tis wherefore he 
has been eaten. Besides these Blacks have difficulty in 
swearing if they lie, and especially on the said Voa. 
These Crocodiles do a great deal of mischief. I have 
been assur’d that there are Provinces in the Island where 
these animals are greatly apprehended, going even into the 
Huts to take the children. 
I have often seen them in the water, which remaining 
immovable, resemble large logs of wood floating. 
When these animals see oxen, cows, calves, sheep, or 
other animals which come to drink, they sink themselves 
below the surface, then take the beasts by the nose with 
their teeth, & clinging with their tails to the bottom of the 
water, which hold like anchors, draw the beasts to the 
bottom, drown them, and eat them. 
These Crocodiles have not any tongue, & it is said that 
they have no taste; meantime they are more apt to 
devour dogs than other animals. And whoever wishes to 
have the diversion of seeing it, has only to bring a dog to 
the brink of a river where there are crocodiles , & make the 
1 These Crocodiles are call’d at Madagascar by the French Jacarets , in 
the islands of America they call them Cayemans . 
