Among the dangers to life in Sarawak are the crocodiles or alligators. Some naturalists declare that one of the two species—I believe the latter—is not found in Asia, but I think that those who have had the measurement of those reptiles, to estimate the amount of reward for their destruction, must have noticed that there are apparently two species—one very broad in the head, the other very long and narrow. It is true we never examined their teeth, by which we might have distinguished them. It is said on good authority that there is a third species only found in fresh water, living for preference in the deep pools of the far inland reaches of the rivers. Sir Hugh Low saw them in the interior of the Rejang, and I often heard of them in Sarawak. I remarked to a native chief that it was curious that this species should have fixed its habitat away from the deep water. ‘Not more curious,’ he answered, ‘than seeing you white men in Borneo.’ Whatever the true name of these brutes may be, the destruction of life traceable to them is considerable. They seize people bathing on the banks of rivers, catch unwary children, and snatch people from their canoes. They will often swim on the surface of the water with their victims in their mouths, and the _Gazette_ mentions one instance where the alligator appeared with the body on the second day. As they are called alligators in Borneo, I will not change their name. Many a tale of quiet heroism may be told connected with these attacks. One day a mother and daughter were paddling up the Linga river, when the former was snatched from the boat by an alligator. It did not attempt to sink with its victim, which gave time to the daughter to spring on its neck, and, leaning forward, she gouged out the eyes of the reptile, which instantly let go the mother and dived to the bottom of the stream. I have known of several instances of these heroic attempts to save relations. There was an alligator which created a panic among all those who had to pull by the entrance of the Siol stream on the Sarawak river, so many had been its victims. It was ultimately taken, and measured, it is said, over twenty-four feet in length.