Hauled upon the rope, and
when it was safely landed, I gave it a blow with a sharp axe on the back
of the neck, which killed it by dividing the spine.
It was now dragged along the turf until we reached the camp, where it
was carefully measured with a tape, and showed an exact length of 12
feet 3 inches from snout to end of tail.
The stomach contained about five pounds' weight of pebbles, as though it
had fed upon flesh resting upon a gravel bank, and had swallowed the
pebbles that had adhered. Mixed with the pebbles was a greenish, slimy
matter that appeared woolly. In the midst of this were three undeniable
witnesses that convicted the crocodile of wilful murder. A necklace and
two armlets, such as are worn by the negro girls, were taken from the
stomach! The girl had been digested. This was an old malefactor that was
a good riddance.
I have frequently seen crocodiles upwards of eighteen feet in length,
and there can be little doubt that they sometimes exceed twenty; but a
very small creature of this species may carry away a man while swimming.
The crocodile does not attempt to swallow an animal at once, but having
carried it to a favourite feeding-place, generally in some deep hole,
it tears it limb from limb with teeth and claws and devours it at
leisure.
