tance from the shore, but were soon left high and dry on the
sands by the receding tide. Stepping on to the beach, L. and I set out
for a stroll on the sea-shore and a dip in the sea before dinner,
leaving H. to superintend the culinary operations in the boat. He
warned us ere we started to beware, when bathing, of sharks and
alligators, which swarm here.

There has ever been something most repulsive to me about the latter,
who, when they have seized their prey, human or otherwise, do not at
once devour it, but stow it away in their nests under water for two or
three days until the flesh becomes decomposed, when they return to
their hideous meal. Alligators do not attain a very large size in
Borneo, ranging from 10 to 15 feet long only. The offer by the Sarawak
Government of 30 cents, per foot, when captured, has greatly decreased
their number in most of the rivers. An amusing anecdote is told of an
enterprising Malay fisherman, who, when these rewards were first
offered, established a "farm" at the mouth of one of the rivers,
killing them when they grew to their full size, and claiming the money
for their capture. This did not last long, however, and the "wily
Oriental's" ingenuity was nipped in the bud by a punishment that has
deterred other natives from following his bad example. It is a curious
fact that the eggs of alligators are invariably found in the following
numbers--11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, &c.

The following story, which, had it not been told me by the Resident of
the district wherein it had occurred, and published in the _Gazette_,
I should have greatly doubted, may interest the reader:--

Two Malay children, the elder a girl, aged seven and four years, were
playing at low tide on a mud bank close to their dwelling, and some 15
yards from the water, when an alligator, which had advanced
unperceived, seized the younger, and was making for the water with the
child in its jaws. The little girl, on seeing this, had the presence
of mind to leap on the animal's back and plunge her fingers into its
eyes, when it instantly dropped the child unhurt, and made off into
the river.

We enjoyed a cool and refreshing dip in the sea, and it was almost
dark ere we left the water to return to the boat. A light was placed
in her little cabin, which shone like a firefly over the sands, giving
promise of good things within, to which we were shortly doing justice,
in the shape of an excellent fowl curry (prepared by the murde