Alligators. 213 



the water, and plunged heavily into it Had he thought 

 of once flourishing his tremendous weapon, there might 

 have been an end of his assailant's life ; but he fortu- 

 nately went in peace to his grave, where we left him, as 

 the water was too deep. The same morning, another of 

 equal size was observed swimming directly for the bows 

 of our vessel, attracted by the gentle rippling of the 

 water there. One of the officers who had watched him 

 fired, and scattered his brains through the air, when he 

 tumbled and rolled at a fearful rate, blowing all the while 

 most furiously. The river was bloody for yards around, 

 but although the monster passed close by the vessel, we 

 could not secure him, and after a while he sank to the 

 bottom. 



" Early one morning I hired a boat and two men, 

 with a view of returning to St. Augustine by a short cut 

 Our baggage being placed on board, I bade adieu to the 

 officers and crew, and off we started. About four in the 

 afternoon we arrived at the short cut, forty miles distant 

 from our point of departure, and where we had expected 

 to procure a waggon, but were disappointed : so we laid 

 our things on the bank, and leaving one of my assistants 

 to look after them, I set out, accompanied by the other 

 and my Newfoundland dog. We had eighteen miles to 

 go, and as the sun was only two hours high, we struck off 

 at a good rate. Presently we entered a pine barren. 

 The country was as level as a floor ; our path, although 

 narrow, was well beaten, having been used by the Semi- 

 nole Indians for ages ; and the weather was calm, and 

 now and then a rivulet occurred, from which we quenched 

 our thirst, while the magnolias and other flowering plants 

 on its banks relieved the dull uniformity of the woods. 

 When the path separated into two branches, both seem- 

 ingly leading the same way, I would follow one, while 

 my companion took the other, and unless we met again 



