138 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



mouth of which is a short distance to the south- 

 ward of the anchorage, some very good sport 

 may be had. 



Accompanied by Doctor S , I ascended 



this river to its source, seventeen miles from the 

 sea, and starting by night in a canoe paddled by 

 two Indians, we accomplished half the distance 

 by daybreak. The scenery was most mono- 

 tonous ; nothing was to be seen but mangrove 

 bushes which overhung the water on both sides. 

 Our Indians paddled silently along, driving the 

 frail craft swiftly through the muddy stream. 

 Occasionally an alligator would glide off the 

 mud-bank where he had been reposing, and 

 rise again close to the canoe, with only his eye 

 and snout above water, presenting a tempting 

 though difficult shot, and we passed so many of 

 these reptiles that the smell which they emitted 

 was quite sickening. We killed and wounded 

 several, and nearly capsized the canoe whilst 

 trying to haul one on board. At one place 

 there were at least a dozen of them in sight at 

 the same time, and whilst I was blazing away 



