210 lawson's history 



imagine what it was, having never heard one of 

 them before. Immediately again I had another 

 lesson — and so a third. Being, at that time, 

 amongst none bnt savages, I began to suspect they 

 were working some piece of conjuration under 

 my house, to get away my goods ; not but that at 

 another time, I have as little faith in their, or any 

 others, working miracles, by diabolical means, as 

 any person living. At last, my man came in, to 

 whom when I had told the story, he laughed at 

 me, and presently undeceived me, by telling me 

 what it was that made that noise. 



These alligators lay eggs as the ducks do, only 

 they are longer shaped, larger, and a thicker shell 

 than they have. How long they are in hatching 

 I cannot tell ; but as the Indians say, it is most 

 part of the summer. The}^ always la^^ by a spring 

 side the young living in and about the same as soon 

 as hatched Their eggs are laid in nests made in 

 the marshes, and contain twenty or thirty eggs. 

 Some of these creatures afford a great deal of 

 musk. Their tail when cut off looks very fair 

 and white, seemingly like the best of veal. Some 

 people have eaten thereof, and say it is delicate 

 meat when they happen not to be musky. Their 

 flesh is accounted proper for such as are troubled 

 with the lame distemper, (a sort of rheumatism,) 

 so is the fat very prevailing to remove aches and 

 pains, by unction. The teeth of this creature, 

 when dead, are taken out to make chargers for 

 guns, being of several sizes, fit for all loads.— 



