VOYAGE TO EAGEI AND SHIPWRECK. 233 without food, in order to make the rest of the villagers procure some meat for them, which they were too lazy even to steal for themselves. I at once interfered, but in vain, and a bullock had to be given them before he was released. On another occasion a chief, who had received orders to provide us with a canoe, went off without doing so, whereupon my escort seized his favourite wife, and took her to our next halting-place, remarking that her husband was sure to come after her, and that then they could get him and compel him to send for the canoe.

As we proceeded southwards, the country was more thinly peopled, and there were often long stretches of jungle without a single village. The land, too, became more level, with flat sandy beaches, where the crocodiles were in the habit of basking in the hot sun. On halting once at an open place in the jungle, the canoemen found 'a crocodile's nest containing eighty-two eggs. This was the largest number I ever saw in one nest, those I have seen generally containing from forty to sixty. The eggs of the crocodile are white, very long in proportion to their breadth, and having thick rough shells ; they are about the size of a swan's egg, and are, when fresh, by no means bad eating, having a slight musky favour.

On July 13th we reached Dumo, a fine wellwooded promontory extending some distance into