GER FROM
CROCODILES--COOKING THE ELEPHANT-MEAT--ABOH'S SKILL--STRANGE NOISES
HEARD AT NIGHT--WE ARE COMPELLED TO HALT--AN AFRICAN FOREST GIANT--TOM
RECOVERING FROM THE ACCIDENT SLOWLY--CHARLEY PROPOSES TO BUILD A CANOE.

According to Aboh's advice we proceeded eastward, with the lake on one
side and the vast trees of the forest rising up to an immense height on
our right. Frequently the indentations in the shores of the lake
compelled us to keep away from the water, when we trudged on completely
surrounded by trees. Even at mid-day it was dark and gloomy, not a ray
of the sun penetrating to the ground which we trod. Sometimes the
silence was profound, when suddenly it was broken by the shrill scream
of a parrot, or the chatter of a monkey as he caught sight of us from
his leafy covert.

We saw no other animals, though we discovered elephant tracks and other
marks on the ground. Aboh, on examining them, said that they were made
by leopards, those savage animals abounding in the forest through which
we were passing. On the shore of the lake, however, we caught sight of
numerous crocodiles, some poking their ugly snouts above the surface of
the water, others basking on sandbanks, or on the points projecting out
into the water.

Once, as we were keeping along the shore, the head of a huge monster
rose not ten feet from us. Aboh shouted, "Run, massa, run." His
warning came only just in time. Charley, who was farthest from the
water, instantly brought his rifle to his shoulder as he saw the
crocodile making a dash at Tom, who was nearest to him. Aboh shouted
and shrieked to scare the creature. Its jaws were within a foot of
Tom's legs, when Charley, knowing that our companion's life depended
upon the correctness of his aim pulled the trigger and the ball entered
the monster's head through the eye. Tom gave a desperate leap on one
side, the crocodile still moved on, and I fancied that Charley must have
missed. Harry and I, imitating Tom's example, sprang out of its way.
It had not run five yards on dry ground, however, before it stopped,
then rolling on its side, began to kick violently. Harry quickly had
his rifle ready, and firing down its throat, put an end to its
struggles. Aboh proposed cutting some slices out of its body for
dinner, but we declined joining him in the repast, as we hoped to catch
as many birds and monkeys as we might require. The narrow escape we had
had taught us that we must in future