BORNEO AND ITS CROCODILES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 270, 11 May 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

BORNEO AND ITS CROCODILES.

IXDIFFERKXCK OF THE NATIVES, It is a common sight in Borneo to see a large crocodile .sunning himself on the muddy'hank of a river. He takes no notice of the natives, even though they pass (piite near him. So common, indeed, is the sight that the Dyaks thera■selves pay no heed to these dangerous reptiles; and yet it is no unusual thing in Borneo to hear of some hn>uu;i lifebeing taken by a crocodile. For months, perhaps, the crocodd/ s iif n river live at pea<:o villi mankind, and then suddenly one of tlitae creatures will carry off some lad bathing in the liver, or CYen attack someone .paddling along in a boat. The wi'itej- know?; of a Dyak girl who, when sitting and pil'V tiling at the stern of a canoe, was knocked over into the water and carried away by a crocodile, and her companions could do nothing to save her. • There seems to be no reason why the crocodile should suddenly show a maneating propensity in tliis way. The Dyaks account for it by curious superstitions. They say that if food is offered to a person, and he refuses it, and goes away without at least touching it, some misfortune is sure to befall 'him, and he will most probably be attacked'by a crocodile. Also, it is said that one of the ways the gods punish crime is by sending a crocodile to attack the culprit. The Dyaks of Borneo will not kill a crocodile except in revenge. If the animal will live at peace with ■ him. the Dyaks have no wish to start a quarrelif, however, the crocodile breaks the truce and kills someone, then he feels justified in retaliating. Under these circumstances, the Dyaks set to work to find the culprit, aml'go on catchm* and killing crocodiles until they succeed in doing so. The Dyaks generally wear brass ornaments, and by cutting open a dead crocodile they can easily find out if he is the creature, they wish to punish.