182 TEAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



passed. We drew our knives and endeavoured to 

 defend at least our heads and eyes ; but all was 

 in vain against the myriads of enemies that sur- 

 rounded us ; and the unequal combat could not pos- 

 sibly have lasted long, when suddenly a shot was 

 fired, followed immediately by another. The effect 

 they produced was magical The growls and cries of 

 rage and fury were exchanged for howls of fear and 

 complaint ; the alligators withdrew gradually into 

 their native mud; the birds flew in wider circles 

 around us ; the unclean multitudes were in full re- 

 treat. By degrees the various noises died away ; but 

 our torches had gone out, and all around us was 

 black as pitch. 



"In God's name, are you there, old man?" 

 asked I. 



" What ! still alive 1 " he replied, with a laugh that 

 jarred unpleasantly upon my nerves, " and the other 

 Britisher too 1 I told ye we were not alone. These 

 brutes defend themselves if you attack them upon 

 their own ground, and a single shot is sufficient to 

 bring them about one's ears. But when they see 

 you're in earnest, they soon get tired of it, and a 

 couple more shots sent among them generally drive 

 them away again ; for they are but senseless squealin' 

 creturs after all." 



While the old man was speaking, he struck fire, 

 and lit one of the torches. 



" Luckily we have rather better footing here," con- 



