ADVENTURES IN LOUISIANA. 183 



tinned he. " And now, forward quickly ; for the 

 sun is set, and we have still some way to go." 



And again he led the march with a skill and con- 

 fidence in himself which each moment increased our 

 reliance on him. After proceeding in this manner for 

 about half an hour, we saw a pale light glimmering 

 in the distance. 



" Five minutes more and your troubles are over ; 

 but now is the time to be cautious, for it is on the 

 borders of these cursed swamps the alligators best 

 love to lie." 



In my eagerness to find myself once more on dry 

 land, I scarcely heard the Yankee's words ; and as the 

 stopping-places were now near together, I hastened 

 on, and got a little in front of the party. Suddenly 

 I felt a log on which I had just placed my foot 

 give way under me. I had scarcely time to call out 

 " Halt ! " when I was up to the armpits in the swamp, 

 Avith every prospect of sinking still deeper. 



" You will hurry on," said the old man with a 

 laugh ; and at the same time, springing forward, he 

 caught me by the hair. " Take warning for the 

 future," added he, as he helped me out of the mud ; 

 " and look there ! " 



I did look, and saw half-a-dozen alligators writhing 

 and crawling in the noxious slime within a few feet 

 of us. I felt a sickening sensation, and for a moment 

 I could not utter a word : the Yankee produced his 

 whisky-flask. 



