The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-14 00:00:00

A CROCODILE HUNT.

As we approached the river banks, a large crocodile hove
in sight, floating down the stream like a log of wood. Our
position was most favourable to send an arrow rattling
through his scales, and my young Nimrod lost no time in
improving the opportunity. Stepping a few paces in ad-
vace, and bending gracefully over the precipice, he let fly at
the reptile's head his slender,yellow reed,/sor elevaeion, viz.,
shooting the arrow up into the air at an angle of 45, which,
causes it to descend with great force upon the object, after
describing an arc of a circle in the manner of a bomb-shell,
Although the distance was fully 300 paces,the arrow struck
the mark with the precision of a rifle ball. A violent plunge
of the huge reptile was my first intimation that the trial
had been successful, and in a moment after I perceived the
golden reed, now attached to him, skimming swiftly over
the water. We hastened for the canoe, and immediately
gave chase up the stream, as the crocodile had taken that
direction. We were rapidly gaining upon him, when
alarmed at the sound of the paddles, he sunk in very deep
water, as was indicated by the reed. This circumstance
rendered it impossible to employ our harpoon. We
tried in vain to start him; ho stuck to the muddy bottom,
whence neither pulls nor curses could move him. We
hoped that in time he would come to the surface to breathe,
and then we might strike him with a harpoon; but in this
we were equally disappointed. After waiting for him two
hours, we gave him up, along with the arrow head sticking
in his own. I trade various other attempts to secure a spe-
cimen, but with no better result, as the river was yet too
high to sound for them. While in this place, I was told
several incidents in relation to the cunning and instinct of
these saurians, one of which appeared to me most remark-
able in an animal of the reptile tribe. The ferryman here
possessed at one time a great many goats. One day, he per-
ceived that several of them had disappeared, and not being
able to account for it in any other way, he at once laid the
blame on the hated crocodiles, although these creatures sel-
dom carry their attacks beyond their own element. His sus-
picions, he discovered in the end, were well founded, having
witnessed the destruction of one of his goats in a very sin-
gular manner. It appears that a crocodile had in same mys-
terious way discovered that goats delight in jumping from
place to place, but more especially fromirocks or mounds.
Rocks, however, being rather scarce in the country, their
treacherous enemy undertook to gratify their taste for this
innocent pastime, and at the same time cater to his own.
Approaching the water's edge to within a few feet from
the bank, he swelled out his back in such a manner as gave
it the appearance of a small island or promontory. The
stupid goats preceiving this, varied their gambols byjump-
ing from the secure places on shore upon the seeming
island, which they, however, never reached, for the croco-
dile, tossing up his head at the right instant, received
them into his open jaws, and swallowed them without
difficulty. . . No person can venture near the water
without danger from their attacks, being so treacherous
that they approach their intended victim near enough
to strike him with their powerful tails before he is even
aware of their proximity. The bubbling sound of a gourd
being filled in the water by some imprudent person specially
attracts them. To obviate this danger, a calabash bowl,
with a long wooden handle, is usually employed for the
purpose; yet even this is not unfrequently snatched from
the hands of the water-carrier. If by aceident a human being
falls a prey to this tyrant of the river, the reptile is then
called cebado, which appellation implies everything that is
bold, ferocious, and treacherous in an animal of the species,
as from that time they not only waylay persons, but fellow
them in the canoes, in hopes of again securing this dainty
morsel. There are, however, men bold enough to meet
the enemy face to face in his own element. The man
who makes up his mind to this encounter is well aware
that this must be a conflict to the death for one of the an-
tagonists. The ferryman related to us a feat of gallantry
worthy of a better cause, performed here ity a Llanero with
ene of these monsters. The man was on his way to San
Jaime on a pressing errand. Being in haste to get there
the same day, he would not wait for the canoe to be brought
to him, but prepared to swim across, assisted by his horse.
He had already secured his saddle and clothes upon his
head, as is usual upon similar occasions, when the ferryman
cried out to him to beware of a caiman othado, then lurking
near the pass, urging upon him, at the same time, to wait
for the canoe. Scorning this advice, the Llanero replied,
with characteristic pride, " Let him come ; I was never yet
afraid of man or beast.' Then laying aside a part of his
ponderous equipment, he placed his two-edged dagger be-
tween his teeth, and plunged fearlessly into the river. He
had not proceeded far when the monster rose, and made
quickly towards him. The ferryman crossed himself de-
voutly, and muttered the holy invocation of Jesus, _Marta y
Jose ! fearing fcr the life, and above all, for the toll of the
imprutent traveller. In the meantime the swimmer con-
tinued gliding through the water towards the approaching
crocodile. Aware of the impossibility of striking his ad-
versary a mortal blow unless he could reach the armpit, he
awaited the moment when the reptile should attack him to
throw his saddle at him. This he accomplished so success-
fully that the crocodile, doubtless imagining it to be some
sort of good eating, jumped partly out of the water to catch
it. Instantly the Llanero plunged his dagger up to the very
hilt in the fatal spot. A hoarse grunt and a tremendous
splash showed that the blow was mortal, for the ferocious
monster sunk beneath the waves to rise no more. Proud
of this achievement, and scorning the tardy assistance of
the ferryman, who offered to pick him up in his canoe, h e
waved his bloody dagger in the air, exclaiming, as he did
so, "Is there no other about here?" and then turning, he
swam leisurely back to take his horse across. The canoero
who related this adventure then added, " So delighted was
1 on that occasion that I killed my fattest hen to treat the
man to a good syincocho, for the caiman had devoured all
my goats."— W ild Scenes. By Don Ramon faez.

MEANING OF NAMES AMONG THE GREEKS.
—Philip, lover of horns ; Alexander, helper
of men; and Arethusa, vi7tuotts; among the Latins
Agricola, husbandman; Valerius, healthy; and Clemens,
merciful; and among the Celtic nations, Howell, lordly;
Arthur, great; and Caradoc, beloved. There are plenty of
Leonards, T eanders, and Leopolds from the lion ; Everards
and Offds, from the boar; Ursulas and Bernards, from the
bear, Latin and Teutonic ; Arnolds and Ernests, from the
eagle ; and Ophelias, Rosalinds, and Omars, from the ser-
pent ; to say nothing of the Roses, Violets, Margarets,and
Pearls, named from flowers and gems. Ishmael means
heard of God; Artemidorus, gift of Artemus ; Jovianus,
belonging to Jupiter; Thorgils, Thor's pledgo ; and Godiva,
gift of God.