NEW ENEMIES
Our enemies were not confined to the land only: the crocodiles in the
neighbourhood of Gondokoro were exceedingly ferocious. As the natives
were so much in the habit of swimming to and fro with their cattle,
these wily creatures had been always accustomed to claim a toll in the
shape of a cow, calf, or nigger. Two of Abou Saood's sailors were
carried off on two consecutive days. One of my soldiers, while engaged
with many others in water, only hip deep, was seized by a crocodile. The
man, being held by the leg below the knee, made a good fight, and thrust
his fingers into the creature's eyes; his comrades at the same time
assisted and rescued him from absolute destruction; but the leg-bone was
so mashed and splintered in many places that he was obliged to submit to
amputation.
One of my sailors had a narrow escape. He and many others were engaged
in collecting the leaves of a species of water-convolvulus that make an
excellent spinach; this plant is rooted on the muddy bank, but it runs
upon the surface of the water, upon which its pink blossoms are very
ornamental.
The sailor was stooping from the bank to gather the floating leaves,
when he was suddenly seized by the arm at the elbow-joint; his friends
immediately caught him round the waist, and their united efforts
prevented him from being dragged into the water.
