36 NARROW ESCAPE FROM 



ground, there was no appearance of any shape 

 in their arrangement. I am still puzzled, to deter- 

 mine whether they were merely the results of childish 

 amusement, or had performed their part in some 

 magical incantation or religious ceremony of the 

 natives. I am the more inclined to think it was the 

 latter, as there was a native grave near, covered with 

 the same kind of flat stones, to the heio-ht of about 

 three feet. We had not before observed any thing 

 like it, neither did we afterwards. Several flights 

 of large curlews were seen passing over the boat, and 

 resting on the flats in its neighbourhood. Whilst 

 endeavouring to procure some of them, I was placed 

 in a suflSciently awkward position, running the risk 

 of becoming myself a fresh meal instead of procuring 

 one. I had stripped to swim across a creek, and 

 with gun in hand was stealthily crawling to the 

 outer edge of the flat where my intended victims 

 were, when an alliorator rose close bv, bring-ino; his 

 unpleasant countenance much nearer than was 

 agreeable. My gun was charged with shot, and 

 the primitive state of nudity to which I had just 

 reduced myself, precluded the possibility of my 

 having a second load. To fire therefore was useless, 

 and to retreat difficult, for I had wandered from the 

 boat some distance across the bank, on which the 

 water was fast risino^. Thought, there was no time 

 for, and before my companions could have reached 

 me, the tide would have flooded the place suflS- 

 ciently to enable the alligator to attack me at a 



