268 EXCURSIONS AROUND EGA. Chap. IV. 



thirty-five), we prepared to return, and the Indians, at my 

 suggestion, secured one of the alligators with the view of 

 letting it loose amongst the swarms of dogs in the village. 

 An individual was selected about eight feet long : one 

 man holding his head and another his tail, whilst a third 

 took a few lengths of a flexible liana, and deliberately 

 bound the jaws and the legs. Thus secured, the beast 

 was laid across the benches of the boat, on which we 

 sat during the hour and a half s journey to the settle- 

 ment. We were rather crowded, but our amiable pas- 

 senger gave us no trouble during the transit. On 

 reaching the village, we took the animal into the 

 middle of the green, in front of the church, where the 

 dogs were congregated, and there gave him his liberty, 

 two of us arming ourselves with long poles to intercept 

 him if he should make for the water, and the others 

 exciting the dogs. The alligator showed great terror, 

 although the dogs could not be made to advance, and 

 made off at the top of its speed for the water, waddling 

 like a duck. We tried to keep him back with the poles, 

 but he became enraged, and seizing the end of the one I 

 held, in his jaws, nearly wrenched it from my grasp. We 

 were obliged, at length, to kill him to prevent his escape. 

 These little incidents show the timidity or cowardice 

 of the alligator. He never attacks man when his in- 

 tended victim is on his guard : but he is cunning 

 enough to know when he may do this with impunity : 

 of this we had proof at Caigara, a few days afterwards. 

 The river had sunk to a very low point, so that the 

 port and bathing-place of the village now lay at the 

 foot of a long sloping bank, and a large cayman made his 



