ALLIGATORS. 353 



who consequently never destroy them : indeed, 

 the good understanding seems mutual ; for I ob- 

 served native convicts working up to the waist 

 in the water, not far from these voracious crea- 

 tures, (reposing like logs on the surface of the 

 water,) without fear or apprehension, injury from 

 them never being experienced. Some say the 

 alligators are too well fed with the offal and car- 

 cases coming down the river ; others, that the 

 reptiles have a respect for black skins ; for should 

 a European enter the river like the natives, he 

 would be attacked by these formidable creatures. 

 I saw a number of these reptiles, one morning, 

 assembled about a dead buffalo, which had floated 

 down the river near the bar ; from the size of 

 some of them, they must have survived several 

 generations. 



We landed near a row of neat houses, having 

 trees planted in front, which conduced, in this 

 sultry climate, to afford an agreeable shelter 

 from the fervour of the sun : these buildings 

 were pi^incipally occupied as stores and offices by 

 the merchants. The streets of Batavia run for 

 the most part in a north and south direction ; 

 are kept in neat order, regularly watered, and 

 planted with rows of trees in the Dutch style ; 

 these formerly adorned the banks of canals, 

 which intersected the streets, rendering the city as 



VOL. I. A A 



