ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 85 



and was apparently undecided as to what course he should 

 take. In the meantime, we made play, and gained on him 

 fast, but on seeing us he again went off at score, but he was 

 now in clear ground, and my companion closed in and gave 

 him a good spear. In another moment mine was through 

 his ribs, when he made a sharp and plucky charge at my 

 friend, who met him well, and turned him over. 



By this time the sun was high, and we returned to 

 our camp, which was on a high bank overhanging the 

 Mhye river. The opposite shore was muddy, and all along 

 the edge lay huge alligators basking in the heat. Walking 

 along the bank, near the tents, with one of our party, I 

 observed a large one which had crawled out, and lay high 

 and dry, in such a position . that we could stalk close up to 

 him. We made a circuit, and coming straight in on the 

 bank, saw him lying about thirty feet below us. We gave 

 him four barrels before he could reach the water, into which 

 he threw himself, lashing about with his tail with great 

 violence. From the mud which he raised we could see he 

 had not gone far, and the water being much tinged with 

 blood, we knew that he was hard hit. We returned to the 

 tents to get some long poles wherewith to stir him up, and 

 on our return we found he had come out, and was lying dead 

 upon the bank. He was a strong heavy beast, over twelve 

 feet in length, with most formidable jaws. I had him carried 

 to the tents, where I removed his skin and preserved it. In 

 his stomach we found a hatful of pebbles, some of which 

 were as large as small billiard-balls ; these he had swallowed 

 probably to assist digestion. 



In shooting alligators, I have generally found that unless 

 shot dead by a ball in the head, or the base of the neck, 

 they will struggle into the water, but that, if left alone, 



