ALLIGATOR KILLING. 187 
often finds himself surrounded by these singular crea- 
tures, and if he be unaccustomed to their presence and 
habits, they cause great alarm. Scattered about in 
every direction, yet hidden by the darkness, he hears 
their huge jaws open and shut with a force that makes 
a noise, when numbers are congregated, like echoing 
thunder. 
Again, in the glare of the camp fire will sometimes 
be seen the huge alligator crawling within the lighted 
circle, attracted by the smell of food—perchance you 
have squatted upon a nest of eggs, encased with great 
judgment in the centre of some high ground you your- 
self have chosen to pass the night upon. 
Many there are who go unconcernedly to sleep with 
such intruders in their immediate vicinity; but a rifle 
ball, effectively fired, will most certainly leave you un- 
molested, while the alligator, in its agonies of death, no 
doubt takes comfort in the thought, that the sun will 
hatch out its eggs, and that there will grow up a nume- 
rous brood of young, as hideous and destructive as 
itself. 
The alligator is a luxurious animal, fond of all the 
comforts of life, which are, according to its habits, plen- 
tifully scattered around it.. We have watched them, en- 
joying their evening nap in the shades of tangled vine, 
and in the hollow trunk of the cypress, or floating likea ~ 
log on the top of some sluggish pool. i 
We have seen them sporting in the green slime, and 
