ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA, 411 



felves. Indeed, neither the river nor the neighbouring fields would otherwife be 

 fufficient to contain them ; for, notwithflanding the ravages of thefe two infatiable ene- 

 mies, their numbers can hardly be imagined. 



Thefe alligators are the great deftroyers of the filh in this river, it being their moft 

 fafe and general food ; nor are they wanting in addrefs to fatisfy their defires ; eight 

 or ten, as it were by compad, draw up at the mouth of a river or creek, whilft others 

 go a confiderable diftance up the river, and chafe the fifh downwards, by which none 

 of any bignefs efcape them. The alligators being unable to eat under water, on 

 feizing a fifh, raife their heads above the furface, and by degrees draw the fiih from 

 their jaws, and chew it for deglutition. After fatisfying their appetite, they retire to 

 reft on the banks of the river. 



When they cannot find filh to appeafe their hunger, they betake themfelves to the 

 meadows bordering on the banks, and devour calves and colts ; and, in order to be 

 more fecure, take the opportunity of the night, that they may furprife chem in their 

 fleep ; and it is obferved, that thofe alligators which have once tafted flefh, become fo 

 fond of it, as never to take up with fifh but in cafes of neceffity. There are even too 

 many melancholy inftances of their devouring the human fpecies, efpecially children, 

 who from the inattention natural to their age, have been without doors after it is dark ; 

 and though at no great diftance, thefe voracious animals have dared to attack them, 

 and having once feized them, to make fure of their prey againft that afTiftance which 

 the cries of the vidim never fail to bring, haften into the water, where they immedi- 

 ately drown it, and then return to the furface, and devour it at leifure. 



Their voracity has alfo been felt by the boatmen, whom, by inconfiderately fleeping 

 with one of their arms or legs hanging over the fide of the boat, thefe animals have 

 feized, and drawn the whole body into the water. Alligators who have once feafted 

 on human flefh, are known to be the moft dangerous, and become, as it were, 

 inflamed with an infatiable defire of repeating the fame delicious repaft. The inhabi- 

 tants of thofe places where they abound, are very induftrious in catching and deftroy- 

 ing them. Their ufual method is by a cafonate, or piece of hard wood fharpened at 

 both ends, and baited with the lungs of fome animal. This cafonate they faften to a 

 thong, the end of which is fecured on the fhore. The alligator^ on feeing the lungs 

 floating on the water, fnaps at the bait, and thus both points of the wood enter his 

 jaws, in fuch a manner that he can neither fhut nor open his mouth. He is then 

 dragged afhore, where he violently endeavours to refcue himfelf, while the Indians bait 

 him like a bull, knowing that the greateft damage he can do, is to throw down fuch 

 as for want of care or agility, do not keep out of his reach. 



The form of this animal fo nearly refembles that of the lagarto or lizard, that here 

 they are commonly called by that name ; but there is fome difference in the fhape of 

 the head, which in this creature is long, and towards the extremity flender, gradually 

 forming a fnout like that of a hog, and when in the river, is generally above the fur- 

 face of the water ; a fiifficient demonftration, that the refpiration of a groffer air is 

 neceffary to it. The mandibles of this creature have each a row of very ftrong and 

 pointed teeth, to which fome writers have attributed particular virtues ; but all I can 

 fay to this is, that they are fuch as I and my companions, notwithftanding all our 

 enquiries to attain a complete knowledge of every particular, could never hear any 

 fatisfadory account of. 



G 2 



CHAP, 



