," said Mark. "Do you really think he believed it did any
good?"

"Yes, truly, he believed it. This is a land of charms and superstition.
Voalavo is of too honest and straightforward a nature to practise what
he does not believe in."

"Does _you_ b'lieve in charms an' soopistition?" asked Ebony, with
expectant eyes.

"What need to ax that, you stoopid nigger?" said Hockins; "don't you
know he's a Christian?"

"Das true, 'Ockins. I hoed an' forgot."

"But tell me, Ravonino, are de crokindiles awrful rampageous when dey're
roused?"

"Yes, they are pretty bad," said the guide, clearing his throat, for he
was fond of expatiating on the wonders and beauties of his native land!
"And although they look sluggish enough when sprawling on mud-banks,
half-asleep in the sun, you would be surprised to see them go after
fish, which is their principal food. Their favourite haunts are the
deep rugged banks of a river or lake overhung with trees, where they can
hide themselves and watch for prey. It is not only in water that they
are dangerous. They fasten their teeth, if they get the chance, on any
animal that comes to the river to drink. They sometimes get hold of
bullocks when drinking, and often do so when the cattle are swimming
across. They are unnaturally ferocious, too, for they will devour their
own young."

"Oh! de brutes!" exclaimed Ebony, poking the fire with a bit of stick
savagely. "Don't de mudders fight for de young uns?"

"Not they. The mothers lay their eggs in the sand and leave them to
look after themselves. The others are sly, and--"

"Dat's de fadders, brudders, an' unkles ob de eggs, you mean?"

"Yes, that's what I mean. The old he-crocodiles watch where the eggs
are laid, an' when it's about time for them to break an' let the young
ones out, these monsters go into the water at the edge and wait. When
the baby-crocodiles get out of prison they make straight for the water,
where the old villains are ready to receive an' devour them. Some times
the young ones are stupid when they are born, they take the wrong road
and escape their relations' teeth only to get to the rice-grounds and
fall into the hands of the natives. Many of the eggs, too, are
destroyed, before they are hatched, by vultures and other birds, as well
as by serpents. Men also gather them by hundreds, boil them and dry
them in the sun to preserve them for use or sale."

"The miserable young things seem to have a poor chanc