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Crocodile of the Ganges

both at this point.

True, it cannot be seen, but the pilgrim believes that it flows underground to this spot.

The sight is at once saddening and repulsive.

The whole extenjungle was safer than the highways." | sive area is enveloped in a cloud of dust. It has been estimated that every day Throughout the day crowds continue to throughout the year there are not fewer arrive, mostly on foot. But now a rajah than half a million of people in India on comes, seated in silver howdah on a gorthe move as pilgrims from shrine to shrine geously caparisoned elephant, and atand fair to fair. India is studded with tended by a crowd of ragged followers, with tomtoms and music shrilly discord- attractions of the fair, and plan his route ant. Eager to accomplish the vow, the new comers push on, hurrying timid women with them, past the tent where missionaries preach from sunrise to sunset, past the booths and shows and jugglers. homeward or to the next shrine.

In the numerous rivers of India are large Crocodiles of the variety called Gavials.

The Gavial of the Ganges has the jaws produced to an enormous length, forming a long, slender snout, at the extremity of which there is a large gristly knob, in Each pilgrim, as he arrives, squats as near the bank as he may, that every hair which the nostrils are situated. The on his body may be shaved off and fall teeth are very numerous, and nearly equal into the stream. As he joyously under- in size throughout the whole of the jaws. goes the operation he hears a hundred It is web-footed to the extremities of the priests shouting aloud that every hair toes of the hind feet. This species is thus sacrificed secures for him a million found abundantly in the fresh waters of years of happiness hereafter. He then India, where it sometimes attains a length bathes, and the next day he performs that of thirty feet. It is not dangerous to man rite which lies at the root of the whole nor the larger quadrupeds. It was known family life and religious belief of the to the ancients, Ælian mentioning the Hindoo, the obsequies of his forefathers. existence of a Crocodile in the Ganges The priests receive their fees, and the which had a horn at the extremity of its washed devotee is now ready to enjoy the nose.