BELIKERI. 47 



montory a small river runs into the 

 bay, and the fishing village of Belikeri 

 is close to its embouchure. The fisher- 

 men and their head man, Byroo, were 

 great allies of mine, and brought me 

 any curiosities of the deep they came 

 across. One day it was a small alli- 

 gator, which had either been born minus 

 a fore leg or had lost it in infancy. 

 This creature was caught in the nets, 

 and the men had as they thought killed 

 it, but as it completely revived I put 

 a bullet through the throat and killed 

 it. As the alligator received its mortal 

 wound, I was astonished to see it eject 

 from its stomach three good - sized 

 stones ; the fishermen assured me that 

 for some reason or other alligators 

 are in the habit of swallowing stones. 



