IN THE PACIFIC. 245 



therein, but it was too shallow for the boat, so 

 we got out and walked up the bed of the stream 

 until we traced it to its source in the moun- 

 tains. "With the exception of a couple of wild 

 turkeys, we saw no game whatever ; but there 

 were many tracks of deer, and panthers, leading 

 down to the water, we also found wild plantains 

 and sugar-cane growing, and orange-trees, 

 heavily laden with fruit, but the latter, though 

 they looked tempting, were quite sour. 



On our return to the pool we found that the 

 bathing party had discovered an alligator's nest, 

 with thirty-nine eggs in it ; the fond parent was 

 not forthcoming, but was. probably not far off. 

 Most of the eggs contained young alligators, 

 which were very lively on being released, and 

 took kindly to the water, but they soon suc- 

 cumbed to the too affectionate handling of the 

 blue-jackets, who wanted to make pets of them. I 

 took a couple of eggs on board, and endeavoured 

 to hatch them in the natural way, by the heat 

 of the sun, but they never came to anything ; 

 this was to be regretted, as arrangements had 



