THE TERRIBLE. 



congener. Waterton and other observers have 

 recorded terrible examples of their voracity; and I 

 will add one from a more recent traveller, an 

 officer engaged in the wars which liberated the 

 South American provinces from the Spanish su- 

 premacy. 



During Morillo's campaign in the Apuri country, 

 three officers were on their route with despatches 

 from Colonel Rangel's camp at Congrial, to 

 General Paez's head-quarters at Caiia Fistola; 

 and, not being able to procure a canoe, were 

 obliged to swim their horses over a small branch 

 of the lagoon of Cunavichi, which lay across the 

 road, carrying as usual their saddles on their 

 heads. Two of the party were brothers, by name 

 Gamarra, natives of Varinas. One of them, a 

 lieutenant of Paez's Lancers, loitered so long on 

 the bank, as only to have just entered the water at 

 the moment his comrades had reached the oppo- 

 site side. When he was nearly half-way across, 

 they saw a large ciyihAii, which was known to 

 infest this pass, issuing from under the mangrove- 

 trees. They instantly warned their companion of 

 his danger; but it was too late for him to turn 

 back. When the alligator was so close as to be 

 on the point of seizing him, he threw his saddle to 

 it. The ravenous animal immediately caught the 

 whole bundle in its jaws, and disappeared for a 

 few moments; but soon discovered its mistake, 

 and rose in front of the horse, which, then seeing 

 it for the first time, reared and threw its rider. 

 He was an excellent swimmer, and had nearly 

 escaped by diving towards the bank ; but, on ris- 

 ing for breath, his pursuer also rose, and seized 

 him by the middle. This dreadful scene, which 

 passed before their eyes, without the least possi- 

 bility of their rendering any assistance, was ter- 

 249 



