382 WILD sroRTS in the far west. 



of birds are now to be seen ; among them numbers 

 of the mocking-bird, sometimes called the American 

 nightingale, warble S"\veetly, especially at night. 



As usual in all the plantations in Louisiana, several 

 China-trees stood before my house, for shade as well 

 as for ornament. One of them was an old patriarch, 

 whose branches spread far and wide, and which had 

 been used as a summer-house by the foraier proprietor, 

 who had had a flight of stairs built up to it, and fixed 

 a round table, with several seats. In this tree my 

 hammock was slung between two branches, with a 

 mosquito net spread over it ; — for these amiable little 

 creatures were again beginning their wicked tricks ; 

 and I slept in the warm night wind, among the 

 blossoms of the tree, which have something of the 

 perfume of the hehotrope, surrounded by fire-flies, 

 lulled by the notes of the mocking-bird, and by the 

 rushing sound of the mighty Mississippi, flowing about 

 twenty paces from the tree. 



The heat in May, especially in the middle of the 

 day, was oppressive ; but when the other whites had 

 retired to take their siesta, I went with my rifle and 

 harpoon to the swamps, at a short distance from the 

 river, to shoot alligators, which are to be found in 

 incredible numbers, in the warm standing pools. "WTiat 

 dreadful statements have been written about the for- 

 midable nature of these animals, and their fierce 

 attacks on man ! I have always found them gentle, 

 harmless creatures, and was very active in sI«:ooting 

 them. However, as I lost those I had shot, by their 

 swimming a little way and then sinking, I took a 

 harpoon with a twenty-feet line, and, going up to the 



