The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-09-23
BABES FOR BAIT.
How Oeylon Hunters Lure Hun
cry Crocodiles to Their Death.
Exposing Fat Infants Temptingly
On River Banks.

Crocodiles like to ent babies-not
their own awkward offspring, but
human darlings, fat and dimpled. This
liking of the saurian for babies is used
by hunters in Ceylon to lure the rep
tiles to their death. A nice, fat baby
is tied by the leg to stake near some
pond or lagoon where crocodilcs
abound. Soon the child begins cry
ing and the sound attracts the or oco-
dies within hearing distance. They
start out Immediately for the wailing
infant.
The hun ter in the mean time con-
ceales himself in the bushes or swamp
grass near tho baby, with a rifle in his
hand projecting out and almost over
the child. He remains perfectly quiet
and the reptile, intent on its prey,
notices nothing but the screaming
and kicking child. As the monster
approaches to within few feet OF the
bait the hunter sends bullet directly
into the alligator's eye, causing instant
death.
A miss would mean death for the
baby, but the hunters are expert shots
and at the short distance at which
they fire miss is next to impossible.
As rule the sound Of the firearm
scares the baby worse than the pres
ence of the crocodile's jaws and the
rows of sharp and glistening teeth,
but after being shot over few times
the child takes the shooting as a mat
ter of course and pays little attention
to it.
So expert are many Of the hunters
that they do not shoot the alligator
until it has approached to within few
feet OF the baby. Then, with but
few inches of space between the muz-
zle of the rifle and the eye of the alli-
gator, the shot is fred that ends the
existence of the reptile and saves the
child. Il
A recent issue of Ceylon new
paper contained the following advd
tisement
WANTED-Some very fat childrerf4
as bait for crocodile hunting; we guar
antee to return them safe and sound
to the homes of the parents. Apply
to So and SO.
This advertisement, which is in
rerted in all seriousness, makes its
appearance regularly in the Ceylon
papers and is said to bo productive of
good results. But these Ceylonese
mothers must be different from most
mothers, or else they have high
opiaioa Of the ability and skill Of the
men whc huat crocodiles with human
bait.
CeyloI bas many curious customs
and curious peopio, 1t is best known
now as country sfem which tea is
exported. DGcing recent years the
tea planters theio have become more
numerous, and vaiious brands OF Cey-
Ion teas are now wi6sly advertised in
Europe md America. The country
formerly raised more coffee than tea.
Many of the tribes that inhab:t the
iaterior OF Ceylon are but partially
civilized. The Oldest of the abori-
gines are the Veddas. Their language
has less than 100 words and they live
n pastoral life, bows and arrows being
their weapons. They have a primitive
form of government, the oldest man
in settlement having little auth or
ity by virtue OF his age. They are
truthful, however, and honest.
There are not now moro than 200 or
800 unmixed Veddas in the island,
which has total population of about
1000, 900. Some of the tribes are
highly civilized. The caste system
prevails there es it does in many East
ern countries. The richest man in
Ceylon is butcher, and because of
his caste, which is regulated by his
occupation, is not allowed to associate
with many families whose possessions
could be hauled in hand cart.
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