TUMBLE OVER AN ALLIGATOR. 233 



very shallow near the shore ; it forms a sort 

 of long lagune, about a quarter of a mile 

 broad, bounded on one side by the shore, and 

 on the other by the heavy surf that breaks 

 from the deep water on the shallow bank ; 

 this lag-une is clear and tranquil, and never 

 more than three feet in depth. 



Along the sandy beach that forms the 

 road a great many alligators come out of the 

 water every night to sleep, but they are all 

 small, averaging about three feet in length, 

 and are seldom seen there above five feet. 

 The larger alligators avoid the vicinity of 

 man,* and generally keep in deeper water, but 

 they frequent much the north side of the lake, 

 which is absolutely uninhabited, and where 

 my rifle turned a good many of them over. 



* I must except one instance in the city of Guayaquil, 

 where a party of English merchants were engaged one 

 night at whist during a tremendous long-continued rain, 

 that had flooded the great river into the streets. One 

 of the party, afraid of staying out late, went out into 

 the flooded street on his way home, but fell over what 

 he took for a trunk of a tree. His cries soon brought 

 out lanterns and arms, when it was found he had tum- 

 bled over an immense alligator, who had come up with 

 the flood, and was more frightened than the man who 

 tumbled over him. The beast did not make the 

 slightest resistance, and was easily killed. 



