Evening star., 1925-04-19
Chance Offers Only Possible Avenue of Safety During Purs

did he show his head until we had ar
rived at the edge of the perpendicular
bank OF the tank.
To my right l could see two rows of
bramble bushes, but could not see
how far they extended, but supposed
they marked the inlet to the tank.
We had been crawling along an old
elephant trail, and upon rounding a
bend l saw that what l took for the
inlet was really a small cove. 1t was
evident that the thing we were after
was in that cove. 1t was now time
for me to get excited, and l was anX-
, ious to look over into that cove to
learn what this mysterious trip meant
to me.
Upon glancing back I observed a
large number of natives gathered on
my back trail. They motioned to the
boy that we had taken the wrong
trail, and urged us to take another
course whereby we would arrive at
a point that would command better
view. This we did, and when we had
crawled some fifty yards the boy
raised his head and peeped over into
this mysterious cove.
Watching his eyes closely, 1 could
see that he had them centered on
something that seemed to interest
him tremendously. Then, after a still
more scrutiniZing glance, he turned
and came back to me.
He broke off a small splinter, and
in the dust he outlined what he had
just seen in the mysterious cove. 1
was aware there were many of what
ever they were, and there was one
in particular that he wanted me to
shoot. l crawled to the edge and
looked in and my gaze encountered a
sight that has never been duplicated
in my experience
X X
THERE were hundreds of crocodiles
OF all sizes, basking in the hot sun
perched on islands and the cove was
SWarmlng with them. 1t looked as II
all these repulsive reptiles in the
world had congregated at this one
pool. One above all the rest stood
out in bold relief. being Of enormous
size, and 1 quickly judged him to be
the rogue.
1 threw open my gun and taking
out the cartridge cut a deep cross in
the soft lead. Replacing it I raised
on my elbow and taking careful aim,
fired. At the report many hundreds
which had been sleeping on the sides
of the cove, and which 1 had not seen,
madly rushed into the pool, rolling
over one another in their scramble for
safety.
The entire pool seemed to be filed
with a wriggling mass of crocodiles.
AS the water was too shallow safely
to conceal them, all made a rush for
the only entrance which opened into
the tank
There was one, however, that didn't
go, and that was the one my native
boy wanted. He lay on an island not
over SO yards away with the entire
top or his head gone. The natives
made dash for this big fellow, jab-
bering as they went, and finally re-
turned to the mainland dragging the
body Of the monster. He was the
nearly % feet long.
In no time, the natives had him on
his back and had started whetting
their knives preparatory to skinning
him. l noticed that they were not
particular where nor how they cut, |
the main idea apparently being to
open up the beast. After removing
the skin and upon arriving at the
inner lining of the stomach, they
ting through this inner lining was in
trusted to a man who seemed to be
more skillful than the rest for this
class of work.
Curiosity had taken possession Of
me again while l watched the carving
process, and presently there appeared
piece of f1ashy checkered something
which seemed to be of cloth, and
when the body was opened up further |
saw, to my amazement, the form of |
a child between and years of age |
This was the reason the boy was so
eager that / accompany him and do |
away with the thing guilty of such a |
htdeous crime.
l learned later that the boy who |
had directed me to the cove had gone /
there with his sister for water and as
the girl lowered jug into the pool it |
was crushed by the crocodile. This |
caused her to lose her balance and |
she fell into the pool and was quickly |
devoured while the boy stood help
lessly looking on.
NOW returned to camp and found |
my shikari had everything ready |
to travel. l drank a cup of tea and a
little before sun down we were on our
way. Our route lay through dense
jungle of thorn bush which was i'm
penetrable to anything except an ele-
phant whose beaten trails were the
only avenues of travel. After travel
ing through part of the night l called |
a halt at 2 am, so that 1 might get
some sleep during the cool part of the
The camp was in the midst of a
patch of large powders, not much
and the trees were sep
arated, allowing the moonlight to
object could easily be seen. Dense
iungles, at the best, are not the most
places to camp in, owing