I myself came into very close contact with a crocodile, larger than any I had ever yet seen, whilst both barrels of my gun were only loaded with smallshot. The monkeys had amused me long enough. I advanced, therefore, further up the shore, turned round a huge tree, the right side of which, facing the water, was covered with thick underwood: I soon, however, drew back behind it, for I here nearly walked into the jaws, literally speaking, of a crocodile, as another step would have brought me to the creek, which was quite filled up by the monster, as he lay in front of me. I looked round for my huntsman Sale, an active, good-tempered, but very inconsiderate youth, who carried my rifle; but he was not to be seen. Yet I could not help taking up another position behind the trees, which afforded me protection, in order to fire a volley of shot at the odious beast, whereupon it very quietly retreated into the stream. When I subsequently reproached Sale, he answered me very naively that I should not hunt so close to the shore, for that he had more than once, whilst gazing at the birds and monkeys in the trees, on looking down, seen the head of a crocodile close before him, glaring at him like a ghost (Sheitàn, Satan); and which he dared not shoot lest he should kill his own father. Of witches and sorcerers who transform themselves and others into beasts, especially into crocodiles and hippopotami, that even in their transformation, still bear the griefs they received when human beings—how injured wives often wither up their husbands’ stomachs, and place them on their backs by magic, &c.—tales such as these we hear related as true, even by those to whom these occurrences are said to have happened. The traces of a belief in the transmigration of souls cannot well be mistaken, although almost entirely obliterated by the Islam; but it is only applied here to the degradation into beasts—such as serpents and dogs. When at a distance from the shore, it is as well to have a barrel loaded with ball, there being in this region many lions whom we hear roaring at night. One soon, however, becomes accustomed to such dangers, nay, I might say that we are not only rash, but quite foolhardy, in neglecting all precautions and means of preservation, and, therefore, we have nothing to reproach the Arabs with in their everlasting “Allah kerim” (God is merciful, the Dio é grande of the whole of the Levant). To be burdened with guns and shot-pouches is troublesome, owing to the heat; on this account we often sally out without weapons, not intending to go far from the camp, when suddenly, allured from one object to another, we find ourselves at a long distance from it, and, consequently, helpless against danger.