Chap. VI ALLIGATORS. 391 



September 5th, 1857. — Again embarked on the 

 " Tabatinga," this time for a longer excursion than the 

 last, namely to St. Paulo de Olivenca, a village higher 

 up than any I had yet visited, being 260 miles distant, 

 in a straight line, from Ega, or about 400 miles following 

 the bends of the river. 



The waters were now nearly at their lowest point ; 

 but this made no difference to the rate of travelling, 

 night or day. Several of the Parana mirims, or by- 

 channels, which the steamer threads in the season of 

 full-water, to save a long circuit, were now dried up, 

 their empty beds looking like deep sandy ravines in 

 the midst of the thick forest. The large sand-islands, 

 and miles of sandy beach, were also uncovered, and 

 these, with the swarms of large aquatic birds, storks, 

 herons, ducks, waders, and spoon-bills, which lined their 

 margins in certain places, made the river view much 

 more varied and animated than it is in the season of 

 the flood. Alligators of large size were common near 

 the shores, lazily floating, and heedless of the passing 

 steamer. The passengers amused themselves by shoot- 

 ing at them from the deck with a double-barrelled 

 rifle we had on board. The sign of a mortal hit was 

 the monster turning suddenly over, and remaining 

 floating, with its white belly upwards. Lieutenant Nunes 

 wished to have one of the dead animals on board, for 

 the purpose of opening the abdomen, and, if a male, 

 extracting a part which is held in great estimation 

 amongst Brazilians as a " remedio," charm or medicine. 

 The steamer was stopped, and a boat sent, with four 

 strong men, to embark the beast ; the body, however, 



