Fortune from Crocodile Shooting

Report With a Moral to it

First Steps in Making a Vast Fortune from Crocodile Shooting

From PAT ROBERTSON, in Lae, NG So you’d like to shoot a crocodile, hang the trophy on the wall, or present the little woman with some crocodile skin shoes?

But don’t try it for a living unless you are fully equipped; an experienced shot; immune to insects and mosquitoes and prepared to suffer hardships and exist on native food for long periods.

uJR. COLIN PIETRIE, who left ri Lae, New Guinea, in October last year with a mate for some •ocodile shooting in the wilds of ew Guinea, returned early in muary to pick up some more luipment and supplies. Col. kept diary during the two months, and ter taking a peep at it we gather at crocodile shooting is no lecure.

Before starting off, the two men it together some hundreds of unds worth of gear, including a nghy, shot guns, spot lights, ttery charger and supplies.

First hazard was encountered len they decided to try out their ar at Labu, a little way down the ast from Lae, before starting off • the big stuff. rhe lighting failed, but they inaged to get one light going. Col. hted a croc and shot him in the v and he sank to the bottom, revious to this the men had been en all kinds of advice—some good, ne bad —regarding the proper ,ce to shoot a croc, but Col. had d some experience and knew that must be shot in the back of the id.)

Croc. Tried to Board

We had to poke around for him h a harpoon”, his diary reads, id while doing this he came up tit alongside the boat. I still had gun, so immediately turned nd to have another shot at him I in doing so knocked one of the er blokes in the water. After that ad to forget about the croc and 1 the bloke out. We kept the it on the croc and he went nd and round the boat and tried get in with us about three es. He eventually raced up the bs of a mangrove tree and just there about 25 feet away, so I shed him off with the .303”. fter this experience the men ed they would get their gear in

t-class order before attempting

ir trip. ventually all was set and they Lae at the end of October on little coastal ship Muho. Destina i, the mighty Sepik. Pietrie’s •y takes it from there: * * * L/11/57—Departed Angoram 600

hours for Toko without any idea of where it is or how far. We are go ing on what the boys told us. 13/11/57 —The big motor on the canoe broke down. We worked on it for about three hours but couldn’t get it going. I put our motor back on the pinnace and took off up river again with two boys. After two hours it rained so we made camp. Ron stayed with the canoes and drifted back to Angoram.

Bad Bunch of Natives 14/11/57 —Arrived Angisi. Boys warned me against staying here as they are a bad bunch of natives.

However, had kai and settled down.

An hour later a native tried to push something through the floor under my cot. I take it that it was a spear.

We took turns at watch all night and at daylight got out very smartly. 15/11/57 —Arrived Toko about 1500 hours. Natives very friendly, as I have one of their tribe working for me. 18/11/57 —Quite a good night; one croc 28 in. and another 16 in. across the tummy. Ron arrived at 1300 hours with all our gear on the canoes.

It was good to see him. Went to Bumbura to do a bit of shooting and have a look at another “round water”. (Round water: Pidgin for lake or pool). No good at all, too much grass. 20/11/57 —My legs gave out after three hours walking to Bingo.

Passed through quite a few small villages on the way. All very poor.

In one particular place the few natives I saw were like scarecrows; their dogs likewise. 21/11/57 —Quiet night, slept well.

Left Bingo 700 hours for round water. Met a stupid old headman about an hour out, who told me all sorts of yarns about the water. He said he would take me to it. We had to go through a swamp about half a mile wide.

As we went into it the old man reached down inside a palm tree and brought out a bottle with a tiny drop of water in it. I asked him what it was and he said “Tambu Water”.

He thinks that while he has it on him in the swamp he is safe from crocs. I guess he has just been lucky and that there have been none around when he has been in the water.

"He Was Nuts"

We went along for about another hour and came to a little dead tree.

He said that if he cut it down it would rain. I reckon he was nuts.

We eventually came to the water.

This character said that if he hit the bank at the edge of the water the crocs would come up all over the place. I didn’t believe him at the time, but I do now, as that is exactly what happened. The smallest one I saw was about 14 ft long. He also told me about a two-headed croc and one 30 ft long, but these I’ll have to see to believe. 24/11/57 —Took off for main camp and arrived back completely ex hausted. It was good to talk to a white man again. The boys had picked up five skins during my absence. Decided to move on to this new water, taking plenty of salt and good lights. The native boys are working on canoes and a house for me out there. Ron will stay here and keep these native boys working and organise as many more villages as possible. 26/11/57 —After sorting out enough gear to take with me we find we are a bit short of rations and equipment. I am going out for three weeks and all the foodstuff I can carry is 1 tin coffee, 1 lb tea, 3 tins of meat and a few pounds of sugar. I shall have to live off the rifle, though I have done before. Carriers have started tak ing my gear to new camp and Ron has gone down to Angoram for more supplies. If rain holds off I should get at least 10 skins a night at this new place. (Over)

27/11/57 —Rained heavily last light; no shooting. Had a small hoc tied up at the camp and dur ng the night a big one came in t nd ate him. You can’t win! 3/12/57 —Arrived about 3 p.m. louse ready but canoes a long way If being finished. They are mak ag them too long, about 45 ft. Too ite to stop them now and will have 3 use them for the time being. ,m camped about five miles from ae round water but will have to tiift again when the canoes are nished. Plenty of pigeons here and files of fish in the riVer, also rawns so big you could nearly ill them lobsters. Have had fever, ad still have dysentry.

Some Magic Words

4/12/57—Still waiting around for inoes to be finished. River has sen about 2 ft but boys say it ill not affect round water yet. ;ill got dystehtery and took a iod dose of sulphaguanidine. Old ‘adman and witch doctor came a while ago and said a few agic words over me. Said he was fhtening my stomach up. Crazy -and-so’s. 6/12/57—Had a bad night. The adman went long-long and was ncing around singing war songs ilf the night. He reckons two tier fellows have made poison ainst him, and that a croc is go l to eat him. I wish one would! ; wants me to shoot these two )kes but I don’t think it’s a very id idea. 10/12/57 —Quite a good night. I ;ked up a 36-in. skin and a 30 one. A fair few around, but ildn’t get onto them as most of r crew boys are afraid of them ;. Both crocs went to the bottom t night and we got one after lot of trouble. I had to go back 1 fish the second one out this rning. I also hit a third one mt 6 ft, but he was in deep ter, and I lost him altogether. 1/12/57 —Went out last night and i a hell of an experience. I ited a croc a good 20 ft long.

Boys Panicked

had the boys pull the canoe within 25 ft of him, when he ed his head out of the water I let out a heap of wind and a I of a roar. The boys panicked I shook the canoe about. /e drifted to within 6 ft of him I he lifted his whole body out the water and started to open mouth and come towards the oe, so I had to give him a ’k pellet from the .303. The big md-so went to the bottom and Dst him. 1/12/57 —No good again last it. Saw five big ones but boys

are still scared after last experi ence and I just can’t get them to go close enough for me to shoot.

I badly need a dinghy and outboard motor. 14/12/57 —More rain, no shooting. 15/12/57 —Still raining. Second canoe completed, with 40-ft long.

Big launching. Boys cooked a heap of kai and ate it in the canoe. Then made talk over it, saying they were rousing all the evil spirits. 16/12/57 —Tried new canoe out last night. She is a good one. Nose

whereas the other one is about an inch. Sighted three small crocs but got Qnly one sh ou i d have had

bie'one^last^ieht'

I haven\ mentioned him before hm-’

he his fcSS the

cam P all the ttae. I S have “fed to get him five times so far, but I i U st can’t eet within rantre to choot him I mult git him shortlv Is he is the one that hw got the Irew scared I calculate he is over 20 ft long ne is over 20 It.

Civilisation Ahead

17/12/57—Went out again last ni^ht sighted only one croc.

he river has risen a fair bit and think all the big ones must be iding in the pit-pit. I covered bout three miles last night and le second canoe did the same, ave decided to head back to central imp. 19/12/57 —C amp was deserted hen I arrived back late last night ; Ron had gone down river to ck up some skins. River has risen )out 8 ft since I have been away, illons of mossies here night and ty. Ron arrived back with seven ore skins and Peter England’s noes arrived about five. Will soon i off to civilisation. * ♦ * kURING their six weeks on the " river, the two men got 35 skins —which, in view of the time and )rk involved is not a paying oposition.

However, they have not yet given 1 the idea of making a living from icodile shooting. Experienced ooters have advised them to try the Upper Sepik, near the •een River, and this, with new nipment and fresh supplies, they :end to do. tfr. Pietrie apologised for his ir y—there are, he says, old lers who could give a bigger and tter story of crocodile hunting. 3is story, however, gives some :a why, in spite of the alleged tunes that are made, crocodile loting isn’t likely to become an profession. There are many other, easier ways of mak : a living.