CROCODILES.
Long before the advent of man upon the globe, there was a period when huge crocodiles swarmed in the rivers of the temperate zones. The diminished heat of the temperate regions of the earth, as we know them to-day, has driven these scourges of all that live in the waters they frequent into the great rivers and lagoons of the torrid zone.
The crocodile is characterized by the depressed head, so indicative of a low order of intelligence; the vast jaw, which, armed with formidable rows of conical teeth, seems designed to snatch and to swallow; and the elongated, mud-colored body, with its long lizard-like tail, resting on short legs. These all stamp him with a peculiar ugliness and frightfulness.
The female crocodile generally lays her eggs, like the sea turtle, in a hole in the sand, and leaves them to be hatched by the potent rays of a tropical sun. These eggs are about the size of those of a goose, and are covered with a limy shell.
The young of the crocodile have numerous enemies. Many an egg is destroyed by the smaller flesh-eating animals, or by birds, before it can be hatched in the hot sand. Even if the eggs hatch, no sooner do the young creep out of the broken shells and instinctively move towards the water, than the ichneumon, a species of weasel, and the long-legged heron make haste to swallow them; hence their span of life is not usually a long one.
Should they escape these enemies and take refuge in the water, they become the prey of the different sharp-toothed fishes. Even the full-grown crocodile, in spite of its bony covering, is not exempt from attack. Like many other of the lower animals, when surprised, it endeavors to escape by feigning death. Crocodiles are very numerous in the river Shiré. On one occasion some travelers on board a small vessel counted sixty-seven of them basking in the sun on the same bank.
Women, while drawing water, are sometimes seized by these creatures, and the protection of a fence is required to keep the crocodiles from the river's brink. It is the scourge of the lakes and rivers wherever it is found. Like the eagle among birds, or the lion among beasts, so is the crocodile among reptiles.
Its main food consists of fishes, various aquatic birds, and such animals as it can seize along the borders of the water. It is not only a powerful foe but a cunning one as well.
Like the various carnivorous animals, it can, though a reptile, fast in its aquatic home for weeks and even months without apparent inconvenience. When opportunity offers, it becomes a veritable glutton, and is then indolent and torpid at the close of its meal.
It is when excited by hunger that the crocodile displays its great force and activity. Wherever a river enters a lake, or where a lake empties its waters into some larger body, there the ugly reptile may be found lurking, on the watch for fish. As these pass in the rapidly moving waters, it darts upon them with astonishing velocity.
Again, it conceals itself near where animals have their favorite drinking spot, and rushes out upon the unsuspecting creatures as they approach the water's edge. In the same way it seizes upon the various water birds; often it swims quietly and warily under them and pulls them down by their legs.
Sometimes the crocodile is carried inland by floods, but, as a general rule, it does not advance far on shore in search of prey. On land it is not difficult to escape from its attack; for its legs are poorly fitted for running and the construction of its neck is such as to prevent its turning easily from one side to the other when in pursuit of a victim.
Winter is the most favorable time for catching the crocodile; then it may be found on the sand banks basking in the warm rays of the sun. Spring, too, is a favorable season, for the mother reptile keeps watch over the sand hills where she has deposited her eggs; and the native who is so successful as to discover this place digs a hole in the sand to the leeward and throws up the earth on the side from which he expects the crocodile to approach. He then conceals himself and awaits its coming. If the reptile has failed to observe him, it soon comes to the accustomed spot and falls asleep. The native huntsman then throws his harpoon with all his might into the creature; for, to make the stroke successful, the iron of the harpoon must penetrate to the depth of four inches. As soon as it is wounded, it rushes into the water. Then the huntsman retreats to the canoe, which a companion has brought to his aid.
When a crocodile is struck by the harpoon, it lashes violently with its tail and tries to bite the rope in two. To prevent such a thing happening, the rope is not woven, but consists of about thirty separate fine lines bound together at intervals of every two feet. These separate lines often get between the creature's teeth or become tangled about them.
As it moves through the water, a piece of wood attached by a long cord to the harpoon swims upon the surface; this serves to indicate the direction the creature is taking. By pulling upon the rope the natives drag the crocodile to the surface and soon pierce it by a second spear. It frequently happens, however, that the harpoon is pulled out of its body, and thus the prize escapes.
In some of the rivers of Africa the natives are very bold and skillful in attacking the crocodile in the water. Their mode is to arm themselves with a short dagger, dive beneath the reptile, and plunge the weapon into its body. Often the combat becomes a very fierce one, and the only chance of escape on the part of the native is to force his dagger, or, if by any misfortune he has lost this, to thrust his thumbs into the reptile's eyes with all his strength, thus causing great pain and loss of sight.
Among the ancient Egyptians the crocodile was an object of worship, and thus held sacred. In consequence of this idolatry, it became very bold and troublesome. Had it not been for its natural enemy, the ichneumon, this reptile would have increased to an alarming extent in the Nile countries.