I90 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



Their voracity has a!fo been felt hy ihe boaímen. 

 whom, by incotiiiderately fieeping with one of their 

 arms or legs hanging over the fide of the boat, thefe 

 animals have feized, and drawn the whole body into 

 the water. Alligators who have once feafted 6n hu- 

 man flefh, are known to be the molt dangerous, and 

 become, as it vvere, inflamed v/ith aninfatiable define 

 of repeating the fame delicious repaft. The inhabit- 

 ants of thole places where they abound, are very in- 

 dutirious in catcliiiig and deftroying them. Their 

 ufual method is by a calóñate, or piece of hard wood 

 jfharpened at both ends, and baited with the lungs of 

 fume animal. This calóñate they fatten to a thongj 

 the end of which is lecured on the fhore. The al- 

 ligator, on feeing the lungs floating on the water, 

 Ihaps at the bait, and thus both points of the wood 

 enter his jaws, in tuch a manner that he can neither 

 ihut nor open his mouth. He is then dragged afhore, 

 where he violently endeavours to refcue himfelf, while: 

 the Indians bait him like a bull, knowing that the 

 greateft damage he can do, is to throw down fuch aSj 

 for v/ant of care or agility, do not keep out of his 

 reach. 



The form of this animal fo nearly refembles that of 

 the lagarto or lizard, that here they are commonly 

 called by that name; but there is fome difíerence in 

 the fhape of the head, which in this creature is long, 

 and towards the extremity ñcnder, gradually forjning 

 a fnout like that of a hog, and, when in the river, 

 is- generally above the furface of the water; a fuf- 

 iicient demonflration, that the refpiration of a grolfer 

 air is neceiiary to it. The mandibles of this creature 

 have each a row of very ftrong and pointed teeth, to 

 which fome writers have attributed particular virtues; 

 but all I can fay to this is, that they .are fuch as I and 

 iBy companions, notwithflanding all our inquiries to 

 attain a complete knowledge of every particular, 

 could never hear any fatisfaótory account of. 



CHAP. 



