696 REPTILIA — ALLIGATOR. 



of sheep in a fold. It was on that river, particularly, thousands of the largest 

 size were killed, when the mania of having shoes, boots, or saddle-seats 

 made of their hides, lasted. It had become an article of trade, and many of 

 the squatters and strolling Indians followed for a time no other business. 

 The discovery that their skins are not sufficiently firm and close-grained to 

 prevent water, or dampness long, put a stop to their general destruction, 

 which had already become very apparent. The leather prepared from these 

 skins was handsome and very pliant, exhibiting all the regular lozenges 

 of the scales, and able to receive the highest degree of polish and finishing. 

 " The usual motion of the alligator, when on land, is slow and sluggish ; 

 it is a kind of labored crawling, performed by moving alternately each leg, 

 in the manner of a quadruped when walking, scarce able to keep up their 

 weighty bodies from dragging on the earth, and leaving the track of their 

 long tail on the mud, as if that of the keel of a small vessel. Thus they 

 emerge from the water, and go about the shores and the woods, or the fields, 

 in search of food, or of a different place of abode, or one of safety to deposit 

 their eggs. If, at such times, when at all distant from the water, an enemy 

 is perceived by them, they droop and lie flat, with the nose on the ground, 

 watching the intruder's movements with their eyes, which are able to move 

 considerably round, without affecting the position of the head. Should a 

 man then approach them, they do not attempt either to make away or attack, 

 but merely raise their body from the ground for an instant, swelling them- 

 selves, and issuing a dull blowing, not unlike that of a blacksmith's bellows. 

 Not the least danger need be apprehended ; then you may either kill them with 

 ease, or leave them. But, to give you a better idea of the slowness of their 

 movements and progress of travels on land, when arrived at a large size, 

 say twelve or fifteen feet, believe me when I tell you, that having found one 

 in the morning, fifty yards from a lake, going to another in sight, I have 

 left him unmolested, hunted through the surrounding swamps all the day, 

 and met the same alligator within five hundred yards of the spot, when re- 

 turning to my camp at dusk. On this account they usually travel during 

 the night, they being then less likely to be disturbed, and having a better 

 chance to surprise a litter of pigs, or of land tortoises, for prey. 



"The power of the alligator is in his great strength ; and the chief means 

 of his attack or defence is his large tail, so well contrived by nature to 

 supply his wants, or guard him from danger, that it reaches, when curved 

 into half a circle, his enormous mouth. Woe be to him who goes within 

 the reach of this tremendous thrashing instrument ; for no matter how strong 

 or muscular — if human, he must suffer greatly, if he escapes with life. 

 The monster, as he strikes with this, forces all objects within the circle 

 towards his jaws, which, as the tail makes a motion, are opened to their full 

 stretch, thrown a little sideways, to receive the object, and, like batter- 

 ing-rams, to bruise it shockingly in a moment. 



