A daring
black dives into the water, and cautiously approaching the bewildered
creature, slips the noose over its head and backs away. Should he turn
his face, the blacks say the crocodile would immediately seize him. The
party on the bank hauls on the line, and in spite of protests and
struggling the game is landed, to be chopped and beaten to death with
tomahawks and nulla-nullas. Then follows a feast, the inevitable
surfeit, and the dire conclusion that crocodile as "tucker" is no good.
The flesh is said to be "All a same turtle. Little more hard fella!"
My investigations lead to the opinion that a crocodile was once caught
in the manner described, and that upon a single instance the proud feat
has been multiplied by the score.
SUICIDE BY CROCODILE
It has been said that Australian blacks never commit suicide. An
instance which goes in proof of the contrary occurred not many months
ago. All the creeks and rivers flowing from the coastal range to the sea
are more or less infested with crocodiles. In crossing creeks, blacks
take every precaution against surprise, rafts of buoyant logs strapped
together with lawyer vine being used. These rafts are continually
drifting across to the island, proving how general is their use.
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