St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-11-22
Crocodiles.
SOMETHING CONCERNING THESE RE-
PIII.SINE REPTILES.


PULsIVE REPTILES.
Surely no death is more horrible than
that of being eaten by huge, hideous,
scaly. slime covered crocodile. There is
something romantic and thrilling in the
thought of being carried off by majestic
lion, or tiger with beautiful stripes all
over him, and being dined upon in
clearly and arlstocratic manner; but to be
grabbed by the big bony jaws of ffeeen
foot crocodile, with breath like aturkey-
buzzard's, and to be carried down to the
bottom of nasty, muddy river, and there
drowned and crushed up and swallowed
piece-meal is surely most horrible and
repulsive death.
This is no fancy picture, but statement
of the real facts in the case. A man-eat-
ing crocodile, to do a successful business,
must live in water that is so thick with
mud as to be perfectly opaque, at least to
human eyes. This enables him to swim
up close to any one standing knee deep in
the water. and seize his victim by the leg
before his presence is even suspected.
In clear water the monster would be
seen at some distance off, which might re-
suit in his getting piece of cold lead in
stead of dinner. OF course, any one who
Is rash enough to 60 a-swimming in waters
infested with man eating crocodiles is
liable to fall very easy prey whether
the water be muddy or clear.
There is great deal of transformation
regarding crocodiles. To begin with,
sllieaters are not the same as crocodiles,
as many people SUPPOSE, though these two
kinds of animals are very much allke.
The main point of difference between
crocodiles and slligators are as follows the
crocodile has a triangular head, pointed
snout, and canine teeth that pass up on
either side of the upper jaw in notch
that was cut there by Dame Nature tor
that very purpose.
The all. ator has long broad head,
the sides of which are nearly psrrellel,
with the snout simply rounded off at the
corners. Its canine teeth fit into deep
sockets in the upper jaw, and are there
fore out of sight when the mouth is
shut.
a,iieators are found only in the New
World. and in the alligator family there
are about five distinct species. Crocodlles
inhabit both the Old World and the New
Asia, Africa, tie Malay Archipelago,
Australia and America, both North and
Southland there are fourteen species of
them. The habits of both the alligator
and crecodi:es are much the same.
~ Not all crocodiles are man-eaters.
Young croeodiles, which are often hand
some creatures, as reptiles 60, do. not at
tack human beings and the famous Gan
eeric crocodile. or gavial, Is considered
harmless to mankind. During prolonged
eayial hunt which I en- 10 yed on the jun
IA. In Northern India, my native boatmen
used to swim the river with IMMUNITY,
right where gavials, often OF great size,
were shickest.
had the utmost faith in the theory
that the eavials will not attack man, for
never found anything but fish in their
stomachs; but did not care to 60 in
swimming with them. did not have to
do 40. and, besides, when the water is
muddy and full of crocodiles, do not en-
Joy swimming very well.
It ia safe to say that none of the croco-
dies of the New World are habitual man
eaters. Even there, of course, If man
should deliberately make tempting bate
of himself, at a place where crocodiles are
large and numerous, he might get badly
taken in. The same might be said OF
nearly all the large species Of Africa and
Australia, for crocodile can not be ex-
pected to always distinguish the difference
between a man and any other animals
OF SIMILAR size, IL uc uUuS AiAA S"iA1AA 8
in the water which constitutes hls
lawful hunting ground.
But when we compare the records o.
the alligator, caiman, jacare, and thres
species of the American crocodlies VIII
that of the saltwater crocodile-CTocodetu
norosus of Southern Asia and the Mala.
Islands, we cheerfully admit that none o
our species can justly be classed with tn
man-eaters.
In Borneo especially saltwater croco
diles are the terror of the tidal rivers
They are not found in the clear water
above the influence of the tides, but the.
abound nearer, the sea, where the water il
deep and as murky as ink. The old one
are of great size, very voracious and YER
aggressive; they sometimes seize mel
who are in boats, and drag them overboa
in spite of the frantic struggles OF. tn
victim.
On the Sambas river 1t used to be con
sidered very dangerous to sleep in sma
boat, and to swim in any Bornean rive
near its mouth would be hazardous an
foolhardy proceeding. In fact, the croco
diles of this region obtain the most
their food by selling wild hogs and otne
animals that are in the habit OF swlmmln
across the rivers.
Although have killed many man eat
ing crocodile In Malay Peninsular an
Borpeo, | am thankful to say that neve
saw a man seized and carried down .