CROCODILE-CATCHING IN BORNEO.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 84

CROCODILE-CATCHING IN BORNEO.

(By the Rev. Edwin H. Gomes, M.A.) It is a common sight in Borneo to see a large crocodile sunning himself on the muddy bank of a river. He tabesi no notice of the natives, even though they pass quite near him. So common, indeed, is the eight that the Dyaks themselves pay no heed to these dangerous reptiles; and yet it is no unusual thing m Borneo to hear of some human life being taken by a crocodile. For months perhaps the crocodiles in a river live at peace with mankind, and then suddenly one of these creatures will carry off some lad bathing in the river, or even attack someone paddling along in his boat. I know of a Dvak girl who. when sitting and paddling 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 man-eating propensity ill this way. The Dyaks account for it by curious superstitions. 'lhey 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; and I have often heard it said by Dyaks of some one who has been killed by a crocodile that probably he had displeased the gods, either by paying no heed to the warnings sent him in dreams or by means of omen birds, or by committing some hidden crime. The Dyaks of Borneo will not kill a crocodile except in revenge. If the ani mal will live at peace with him, the Dyak has no wish to start a quarrel ; if,' 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, and go on catching 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. Sometimes as many as 10 crocodiles are killed before they manage to find the animal they want to be revenged on. Having succeeded in doing this, they once more live at peace with these reptiles until such time as the truce is broken again by some crocodile killing a human being. There are men whose business it is to catch crocodiles, and who earn their living by that means; and whenever a human being has fallen a victim to one of these brutes a professional crocodilecatcher is asked to help to destroy the murderer, and a large reward offered him. The majority of natives will not interfere with the'reptiles, to take any part in their capture, probably fearing that if they do anything of the kind they themselves may some time or other suffer for it by being attacked by a crocodile. The usual way of catching crocodiles in Borneo is with a baited wooden bar and slack cable. A piece of hardwood, about an inch in diameter and about lOin long, is sharpened to a point at each end. A length of plaited bark of the baru tree, about Bft long, is tied to a shallow notch in the middle of this piece of woo<T and a single cane or rattan, 40ft or 50ft

Jong, is tied to the end of the bark rope, and forms a long line. The most irresistible bait is the carcass of a monkev, though often the body of a dog or snake is used. This bait is securely lashed to the wooden bar, and one of the pointed ends is tied back with a few turns of cotton to the bark rope, bringing the bar aiid rope into the same straight line. The more overpowering the stench of the bait the greater is the probability of its being taken, as the crocodile has a preference for putrefying flesh. When a crocodile has fresh meat, he carries it away and hides it in some safe place until it decomposes. The next thing is to suspend the bait from the bough of a tree overhanging the part of the river known to be the haunt of the animals. The bait is hung a few feet above the high-water level, and the long rattan line is left lying on the ground and the end of it planted in the soil. Several similar lines are set in different parts of the liver, and there left for days, until one of the baits is taken by su crocodile. Attracted either by the smell or sight of the bait, some animal raises himself from the water and snaps at the hanging oundle, the slack line offering no resistance until the bait has been swallowed and the brute begins to make off. Then the planted end of the cane line holds sufficiently to snap the slight thread binding the pointed stick to the bark rope. The stick thus returns to its original position at right angles to the line, and becomes jammed across the crocodile's stomach, the two sharpened faints fixing themselves into the flesh. he crocodile swims away, dragging after him the long cane line attached to the bait which he has swallowed. Sometimes the cotton holding the bar to the line fails to snap. In that case the crocodile becomes suspicious of the long line attached to what he has Bwallowed, and, climbing up the river bank, disgorges the bait and unopened "hook" in the jungle, where it is sometimes found. But should the cotton snap and then fix itself in the animal's inside, nothing can save the brute. The formidable teeth of the crocodile are not able to bite through the rope attached to the bait, because the bark fibres of which it is loosely made get between his pointed teeth, and the rope holds, no matter how much the fibres get separated. The trappers each morning visit the different traps to see if any of the baits have been taken, and if any are missing they search for them. They seldom fail to find the rattan or cane floating on the surface of some deep pool at no great distance from the spot where the bait was set. A firm but gentle pull soon brings the crocodile to the surface, and if it be a big one he is brought ashore; though smaller specimens are put directly into the boat and made fast there. Professional crocodile-catchers are supposed to possess some wonderful mysterious power over the animals which enables them to land them and handle them without trouble. I have seen a man land a large crocodile on the bank by simply pulling gently at the line. But this is not surprising, as, from the crocodile's point of view, there is nothing else to do but follow when every pull, however, gentle, causes considerable pain. The rest of the proceeding is more remarkable. The animal is addressed in eulogistic language, and "beguiled," so the natives say, into offering no resistance. He is called a "rajah among animals," and is told that he has come on a friendly visit, and must behave accordingly. First the trapper ties up his jaws—not a very difficult thing to do. The next tiling he does appears to me very risky. Still speaking as before in high-flown language, he tells the crocodile that he has brought rings for his fingers, and he binds the hindlegs fast behind the beast's back, so taking from him his grip on the ground, and consequently his ability to use his tail. When one remembers what a sudden 6wing of the muscular tail means, one cannot help admiring the courage of a man who coolly approaches a large crocodile for the purpose of tying up his hindlegs. Finally, the forelegs are tied in the same way over the animal's ba-ck. A stout pole is passed under the bound legs, and the animal is carried away. He is taken to the nearest Government station, and the reward given according to the length of the animal killed is claimed. , Though the animal is spoken to in such flattering terms before he is secured, the moment his leg 6 are bound across his back and he is powerless for evil the natives howl at him and deride him for his stupidity. .Later on they rip his belly for human remains, and hew him to pieces. He struggles furiously, but to no purpose. His head is cut off and hung up over the fireplace, side by side with the cluster of human heads taken in warfare. The professional crocodile-catchers are generally Malays; but now there are Dyaks who have given -up their old superstitious dread of the animal, and are expert croocdile-catchers, and quite willing to earn money by catching and killing crocodiles if required to do so.