Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-08-02
BABIES FOR BAIT.
Useful for Hunting Crocodiles In In
dia, 1t Is Said

Ola, II is said.
We used to have great sport In
India going out after crocodiles with
hlndoo babies Tor bait" said an ex-
olncer OF the British army. The
baby wasn't baited ON ii hook like a
minnow OF Il fish worm, but simply
secured Oil the river bank so that 1t
couldn't creep or toddle away or tum-
| bic into the river. Some babies don't
like their being made crocodile bait of,
Out that fact increased their value
! to the sportsman, for then they yelled
and made u great noise, which was
just what the crocodileS were waiting
to hear, and they'd come hurrying
from all directions to nave a chance
at the babies.
Where did we get these babies for
low who wanted to go crocodiling
had to bait? From their mothers. All
the fellow had to do was to noise
abroad his intention, and it wasn't
long before the native women would
flock in with their babies to be rented
out for bait. The ruling price per
head for the Dung heather was about
& cents for the day. Some mothers
required guarantee that the Off
spring should be returned safe and
sound, but the most of them eXacted
no such agreement. The babies were
brought back all right as Il rule, but
once in while some sportsman was
a trit1e slow with his rifle, or made
a bad shot, and the crocodile got away
with the bait, but that didn't happen
often.
IF your bait is in good form for
crocodiling, and starts in with pro-
, testing yells, you may expect to get
your crocodile very soon, but if the
baby proves to be what is known as
sulker and takes the situation in
quietnesS and patience, you may have
to wait some time before you get a
shot. J. used TO have the option on
an Indian baby that was the most
killing bait for crocodles in all that
part of India. | killed more than one
hundred crocodiles with that youngster
as a lure before she outgreW her use
fulness. She had the most persistent
and far-raching yell l ever heard come
out of mortal being, and no crocodile
could resist it. She was real siren
in Turing the big reptiles to their fate,
and 1 was sorry to see her grow and
get too big for bait and have to give
her up. That dusky infant always
commanded premium in the market,
and her mother was very proud of her
indeed.
After he hau secured his baby at
proper spot it was the custom of the
sportsman to hide behind u convenient
bush or blind and wait for his game.
II his bait was lively and of good
lung he would not have long to wait.
I've seen half a dozen crocodileS come
, hurrying from as many different parts
Of the river toward a baby five min
utes after it was set. With such Il
rush as that, though, the sport be-
comes 4 tlitle trying to the eyes for
the baby, but generally the first crack
of the rifle will scare the big reptiles
back into the water. all except the
OiC pou SSAb SouI DutANI Ahoo,
and he, if your aim has been Sood,
, will flop over and thrash about for
Il few seconds, and then give up the
ghost. But in a short time back will
/ come the others again, and il you
! have the time you can eventually
stretch them all on the bank. A con-
siderate sportsman, though, will not
work his baby more than fifteen min
utes at time. Then lie will have
his native servant soothe it and re-
fresh it from a nursing bottle, which
! is part Of Il crocodile hunters equip.
ment. | have killed six crocodiles over
that favoritc baby lure Of mine in less
than quartel VI an hour.
II was in Florida a year or so ago
with for alligatorS after the method
in India, but folks who owned babies
| down there didn't seem to enter into
( the spirit of the sport, and | couldn't
get one. | compromised on q rather
! lively and complaining dog. He was
+ Il success, and l had quite lot of fun,
although the sport was a good deal
! tanner than it would have been If l
had only had baby for bait'-New
York Sun.