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Saturday, 25 October 2025

The Endless Plains, Chapter 26: Plat-Principal. Beware: Gory Photos.

We could not believe our eyes! I nearly dropped my chapatis.

A crossing of wildebeest had started, completely by surprise, just a little way upriver from where we were attempting to ingest our lunch. 

We rapidly secured our food and hurtled the short distance to where they too were hurtling.

Already we could see that they were in trouble. We knew that this part of the river was heavily infested by crocodiles. We knew this but the wildebeest apparently did not. Well, not yet anyway.

There was a telltale sign on the waters surface. (A tell-tail sign?)

There was a crocodile swimming amongst them!

ATTACK! 

Despite being a fully grown adult wildebeest, it was taken straight down. 

There was a life and death battle going on underwater as the wildebeest struggled, not only to escape, but to BREATHE!

And now, another killer enters the fray.

When the struggling wildebeest came back up, it was fighting more than one adversary.

One crocodile would have been enough.

It had already been mortally wounded. 

It had already lost a gross amount of skin. 

It now stood no chance at all. 

Look close (if you can). There were now three crocodiles attached to this poor soul.

Its fate was sealed.

Despite its struggle, despite its valour...

It was dragged below, where its last breath faded.

...

The crossing had come to its fateful end. 

The dead wildebeest's friends had gone ahead, with no care for their dead comrade, leaving behind them only some applauding birds...

And, of course, some rather contented crocodiles.

...

Good grief. That was an unexpected pause in our meal. Now it was time to head back to pick up on our chapatis where we left off. Then dessert. Then find that long awaited relief.

What happened next has put me off desserts for life.

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