The record-union., 1894-09-01
BABIES FOR BAIT.
How British Sportsmen Hunt Croco-
diles in India.

dileS In India.
I'VE used to have great sport in India
going out after crocodiles with Hindu ba-
bies for bait" said an ex-officer of the
British army TO New York Sun re-
porto. 1.-The baby wasn't baited on a
hook like minnow or fish worm, but
simply secured on the river bank so that
IL couldn't creep or toddle away or tum-
ble into the river. Some babies don't
ike their being made crocodile bait of,
but THAT TACT increased their value to the
sportsmen, for then they yelled and made
great noise, which was lust what the
crocodiles were waiting to hear, and they
would come hurrying from all directions
to have chance at the babies.
w mere did we get these babies for
Dalt? From their mothers. All the fell
low who wanted to 60 crocodiling had TO
90 was to noise abroad his intention and
1t wasn't long before native women would
| flock in with their babies to be rented out
for bait. The ruling price per head for
the young heathen was about six cents
Tor the day. Some mothers required a
guarantee that their offspring should be
returned safe and sound, but the most of
them exacted no such agreement. The
paoles were brought back all right as
rule, but once IN while some sportsman
was q trifie slow with his rifle. or made a
PAD shot, and the crocodile got away with
the bait, but that didn't happen often,
IL your bait is in good form for croco-
dlllng ana starts in with protesting wells.
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 quletness and patience. you
may have to wait some time before you
get a shot. / used TO have an option on
an indian baby that was the most killing
bait for crocodiles in that part of india.
L Killed more than one hundred croco-
dies with that youngster as lure before
she outgrew her usefulness. She had
the most persistent and tar-reaching veil
ever heard come out of mortal being,
and no crocodile could resist il. She was
a siren In Turing the big reptiles to their
late, and l was sorry to see her grow and
get too big for bait and have to give her
up. That dusky infant always COM
manded premium in the market, aud
her mother was very proud of her in
deed.
After he had secured his baby at a
proper spot it was the custom of the
sportsman to hide behind a convenient
bush or blind and wait for his game. If
ms bait was lively and of good lung he
would not have long to wait. Tve seen
hall dozen crocodiles come hurrving
Irom as many different parts OF the river
toward baby five minutes after it was
SET With such rush as that, though,
the sport becomes tritle trying to the
eyes for the baby, but generally the first
crack of the rifle will scare the big rep
tiles back into the water, all except
the one you have sent your bullet
into, and he, if your ann has
been good, will flop over and thrash
about Tor few seconds, and then give up
the ghost. But in a short time back will
come the others again, and if you can
have time you can eventually stretch
them all on the bank
"a considerate sportsman, though, will
not work his baby more than fifteen
minutes at a time. Then he will have
his native servant soothe 1t and refresh
| 1t from nursing bottle, which is a part
of crocodile hunters equipment. |
have killed six erocodiles over that favor
ite baby lure of mine in less than quar-
| ter of an hour.
Il was in Florida year or so ago and
tried to hire baby to experiment with
for alligators after the method in India.
but folks who owned babies down there
didn't seem 10 enter into the spirit of the
sport, and couldn't get one 1 compro-
missed on rather lively and complain
Ing dog. tie was a success and I had
quite lot of fun, although the sport was
good deal tanner than it would have
been if l had only had baby for bait.p