, though, was that this river was some
three hundred yards across from bank to bank, so that we would have to
wade it or swim it to get over to the other side, our investigations on
the shore where we were deliberating showing us that it would be
impossible to circle round it without going for miles out of our way.
We were not frightened at the mere fact of having to venture into
unknown depths--men who had swam the distance we had done in the
Mozambique Channel could afford to laugh at the paltry width of the
stream. What troubled us was the sight of innumerable crocodiles,
sluggishly dragging themselves up the slimy mud banks on either side and
swimming about in the centre of the stream as if on guard over its
precincts. We did not care about tackling these; and so it was we
hesitated, none wishing to be the first to venture the passage.

"At last, Jem Magellan, as usual, came to the fore.

"`Come now, men,' says he; `what are you minding them air crocodiles
for? They won't harm you, when the sharks let you t'other day in
swimming ashore from the pinnace! Jest follow me, and you'll soon see
that my splashing in the water will frighten them off! They are as
cowardly as they're big and ugly!'

"With these words, he leaped into the river and was very shortly across
safely on the other side, the hideous reptiles taking no more notice of
him than if he had been one of themselves, continuing to wallow about in
the green slime.

"Seeing this, I too followed, for I own to being a bit skeared of the
animals before Jem put courage into me; and so did two of the others;
but Denis Brown and the sixth man got terrified when they were in mid
stream, shouting out and hollering that the crocodiles were after them.
Jem, who was as brave as a lion, opening his knife and putting it
between his teeth, plunged into the water again, swimming back to where
Denis Brown was struggling in the river alone, the other chap having
abandoned him and made for the shore. But, the true-hearted fellow was
too late; just as he was within a yard or two of Denis, the other gave
out a shriek which went right through us all like an electric shock and
disappeared below the water, into whose muddy depths one of the hideous
brutes we had seen had dragged him down. I declare, it affected us
more, that did, than all we had gone through; and we were not calm till
Jem Magellan stood once more amongst us, for we thought the crocodile
might capture him ne