was indeed a formidable obstacle. It showed no signs of
subsiding, for thunderstorms still broke on and behind the mountain
range. In the vicinity where the raft lay the channel was about a
hundred yards wide and was very deep. The current here was sluggish,
but just above was a long and dangerous rapid with many rocks
projecting from the water. On these rocks crocodiles of various sizes
used to bask with half opened jaws. Around the head of each saurian
several little birds would flutter and hop, occasionally entering the
toothed death-trap without the least apparent fear. These birds were
useful in picking parasites from between the monsters' teeth.

One day in exploring the river bank above the rapids in search of a
drift, I walked along the edge of the water immediately at the foot of
a steep sand-dune about fifteen feet in height. The top of this, but I
was unaware of the fact, was occupied by a large number of crocodiles
of all sizes, they ranged from one to about fifteen feet in length.
These took alarm and flung themselves into the water, both in front and
behind me. One cut me across the shin with its tail in passing. I carry
the mark of the cut to this day.

To return to the problem of crossing the river. We had brought with us
some strong, light, hempen rope for the purpose of lowering our swags
down steep and difficult places. This, with infinite labor we unwound,
separating the strands and joining them again lengthwise. The result
was still too short for our purpose, so we sought in the forest for
monkey-ropes. These we crushed, and, after separating and partly drying
the fibers, we twisted the latter into a strong, light cable.

When we judged that our cable, plus the line a was long enough to reach
the other side, we attempted to carry one end of the latter across the
river for the purpose of towing back the raft. Over and over again one
of the bearers and I made the attempt, but when we got about three
parts of the way across, the slow, steady pressure of the current would
fill the bend of the line and sweep us down stream. We had spent most
of the previous day in shooting at crocodiles on the rocks in the
rapid, for the purpose of driving them from the neighborhood. We had
wounded several. On the day of our attempt not a saurian was to be
seen. Nevertheless, I felt extremely nervous. The carcass of one
monster we had wounded afterwards washed up; it measured upwards of
sixteen feet.

After our repea