THE STORY OF THE CROCODILE. 



319 



the hunter and assistant hid themselves in the canoe, while the son of the 

 former entered the water, which he commenced to beat with his hands. 

 Catching sight of the boy, the crocodile prepared to dive towards him, upon 

 which the boy took refuge in the canoe. In a moment or so the reptile rose 

 to the surface at the expected spot, where he was saluted with a couple of 

 harpoons, one of which secured a firm. hold. After a long chase, in which a 

 number of the inhabitants of the village took part in boats, a second harpoon 

 was safely planted in the head of the monster, who was finally dragged to 

 shore. When opened several gold and silver ornaments — the relics of earlier 

 victims — were found in his stomach. 



ALLIGATOR WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO TURN UP. 



On the Amazon and Orinoco, as well as other South American rivers, 

 alligators are to be met with in myriads, and appear to be very similar in 

 their habits to the crocodiles of the old world. They grow to a length of 

 eighteen or twenty feet, and attain an enormous bulk. Like the turtles, the 

 alligator has its annual migrations, for it retreats to the interior pools and 

 flooded forests in the dry season. During the months of high water, there- 

 fore, scarcely a single individual is to be seen in the main river. In the mid- 

 dle part of the Lower Amazon, where many of the lakes with their channels 



