24 



Teais, iiiid presently he t-aw the crocodile playing among the children, 

 while they diverted themselves by pretending to drive him away." 



Sir G. 'Wilkinson, in his late work on Egypt, says, " the Nilotic cro- 

 codile is, in fact, a timid animal, flying on the approach of man ; and 

 generally speaking, only ventm*ing to attack its prey on a sudden." — 

 (V. 2, p. 124.) 



Audubon, while traversing Louisiana, in pursuit of birds, became 

 much acquainted with the habits of the alligator. He says, that these 

 animals were so numerous on Red River, before the introduction of 

 steamboats, that hundreds might be seen at once — the smaller riding on 

 the backs of the larger, groaning and bellowing like thousands of mad 

 bulls, about to meet in fight ; all so careless of man, unless shot at oi' 

 'positively disturbed, that they remained motionless, suffering boats or 

 canoes to pass within a few yards of them, without noticing them in 

 the least. Thousands of the largest were killed, while the mania of 

 having shoes, boots, or saddle seats made of their hides lasted. Many 

 of the squatters and strolling Indians followed, for a time, no other 

 })usiness. 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. 



When alligators, (continues this gentleman,) are distant from water, 

 and perceive an enemy, they drop and lie flat, with the nose on the 

 ground, watching the intruder's movements. Should a man then ap- 

 proach them, they do not attempt to make away or attack, but merely 

 raise their body for an instant, swelling themselves, and issuing a dull 

 ])lowing, like a blacksmith's bellows. Not the least danger need be 

 apprehended. You kill them with ease, or leave them. The chief 

 means of his attack or defence is his large tail. Woe to him who goes 

 within its reach. Mr. Audubon often waded through lakes and lagoons, 

 with no defence but a stick, to drive the alligators out of his way. If, 

 says he, you go towards the head of an alligator, there is no danger ; 

 and you may safely strike it with a club four feet long, until you drive it 

 away, merely watching the tail, which, at each blow, throws to the right 

 and left most furiously. In company with a friend, he killed an alligator 

 of extraordinary size, which appeared to be centuries old, many of the 

 teeth of which measured three inches, and which served for powder 

 chargers. The body was seventeen feet long. 



I have been credibly informed, by actual observers, that on meeting 

 an alligator in narrow paths, among caneVjrakes, briars, and other 

 thickets, there is no method by which the animal can be induced to 

 retreat or turn aside. The traveller must either kill him or turn back 

 himself. 



Dr. Lindsay, of this city, related to me the following occurrence : A 

 vast number of alligators being congregated in a confined situation, in 

 the water, a man in a canoe attempted, for his own amusement, to hem 

 them in, so as to force them to go on land, which they were determined 

 not to do. In th'^ melee Avhich ensued, a large alligator got so elevated 

 from the water, by placing his arms on the side of the vessel, that he 

 fell into the same, at full length, to the great dismay of the boatman, who 

 being at the stern of the canoe, and finding the animal's head towards 

 him, and fearing to jump out in the water, among the many alligators 



