he opinion has spread over all the eastern
islands, even to Timor and Ceram, and westward as far as Java and
Sumatra, where, however, young crocodiles are, I believe, never
kept.[153]

[Footnote 153: Maximus Tyrius tells us a story of an Egyptian woman
having brought up a young crocodile as a companion to her son, who was
much about the same age. Things went on very well with these two friends
for a considerable time; but the crocodile gaining strength and the
common properties of his species, at last devoured his comrade. The
Egyptians, it is well known, had a peculiar regard for this animal, and
esteemed it as sacred. What could have given rise to the strange notions
mentioned in the text, the writer is utterly unable to conjecture, and
he does not recollect any relation or circumstances that can illustrate
them.--E.]

These crocodile twins are called _sudaras_, and I shall Relate one of
the innumerable stories that were told us, in proof of their existence,
from ocular demonstration.

A young female slave, who was born and bred up among the English at
Bencoolen, and had learnt a little of the language, told Mr Banks, that
her father, when he was dying, acquainted her that he had a crocodile
for his _sudara_, and solemnly charged her to give him meat when he
should be dead, telling her in what part of the river he was to be
found, and by what name he was to be called up: That in pursuance of her
father's instructions and command, she went to the river, and standing
upon the bank, called out, _Radja Pouti_, white king, upon which a
crocodile came to her out of the water, and eat from her hand the
provisions that she had brought him. When she was desired to describe
this paternal uncle, who in so strange a shape had taken up his dwelling
in the water, she said, that he was not like other crocodiles, but much
handsomer; that his body was spotted, and his nose red; that he had
bracelets of gold upon his feet, and ear-rings of the same metal in his
ears. Mr Banks heard this tale of ridiculous falsehood patiently to the
end, and then dismissed the girl, without reminding her that a crocodile
with ears was as strange a monster as a dog with a cloven foot. Some
time after this, a servant whom Mr Banks had hired at Batavia, and who
was the son of a Dutchman by a Javanese woman, thought fit to acquaint
his master that he had seen a crocodile of the same kind, which had also
been seen by many others, both Dutchmen and Malays: