356 WILD SPOETS IN THE SOUTH. 



Sometimes, too, we could hear the plaintive whine of 

 the panther or the howlings of wolves, that, scenting us 

 from shore, challenged our distant passage that left them 

 no bones for their supper. 



These wolves are funny fellows. You would hear one 

 howl away down the river just audibly above the insect 

 hum. Then an instant's pause, and another answers from 

 the opposite shore, and then one close at hand gives a 

 yelpish whine as though he had been intending to howl, 

 but a bone that he had in his mouth stopped him, until 

 he laid the bone down and hurriedly had his howl out. 



"We pitched a camp one night at dark in a grove of 

 orange trees a little up from the shore with everything 

 to make us comfortable. Opossum, venison, fish, and 

 doves were hanging before the fire ; the night was dry 

 and pleasant, our camp was well located, and we had 

 every anticipation of a cheerful night, until the Doctor, 

 who never could resist the chance of throwing a line, 

 must needs hook a small alligator in the river on his 

 night line. It was all very easy as long as the animal 

 was in deep water he was a caught fish but the mo- 

 ment the Doctor dragged him up to shoal water where 

 he could obtain a good footing, then the Doctor was 

 caught, and had either to be pulled in the river or let the 

 line pay out and the brute get back to four fathom 

 water. 



Soon we heard a call for help, and, after a number 

 of facetious suggestions offered and refused, one of the 

 negroes paddled out a few yards, and, when the animal 



