56 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 



befriended by his early hunting experience, he managed to keep his 

 seat till the plunging of the animal was succeeded by exhaustion. 

 The detractors of Waterton viewed the incident in opposite lights, 

 for some pronounced it impossible, and others insisted that it had 

 too little danger to be chronicled for a feat. Anything is easy to 

 certain people, provided they have not to do it themselves. With 

 the example of Waterton to aid them, his valorous critics would 

 probably have hesitated before vaulting on a ten-foot cayman, fresh 

 from his native waters, and taking their chance of being thrown by 

 his furious plunging, and killed by a snap of his jaws. Finding 

 themselves in the company of a fierce old alligator, it is not un- 

 likely that their first thought would have been how they could quick- 

 liest get off with a whole skin, which was the case with Waterton, only 

 it was the cayman's skin, and not his own, that he was anxious to 

 keep complete. He succeeded, and the reptile may be seen in his 

 collection, with the hook which the Indian made by its side. 



Waterton landed at Liverpool from his third journey in 1825, and 

 was compelled to pay a custom-house duty of 20 per cent on the 

 value of his specimens. The Treasury had the power to remit a tax 

 which was no advantage to the revenue, and which was most oppres- 

 sive to the naturalist. An appeal was made to the Lords of the 

 Treasury, and they exacted the uttermost farthing. Waterton was 

 indignant at the wanton penalty imposed on his expenditure, toil, 

 and dangers, and the contempt which was shown by the English 

 Government for the interests of science. Every abuse of power has 

 its victim, whose wrongs rouse indignation, and obtain for after- 

 comers the justice denied to himself. Having mulcted Waterton, 

 the Lords of the Treasury never ventured to repeat their barbarous 

 conduct, and all the specimens of future travellers were admitted 

 duty free. Enthusiasm long sustained has its alternations of reaction 

 and lassitude, and a slight incident is often sufficient to determine 

 the change. The harsh usage he received from the Treasury was 

 the circumstance which damped for a time the ardour of Waterton. 

 But the passion returns with rest, and the flame was re-kindled as 

 easily as it was quenched. When Wilson's "Ornithology of the 

 United States" fell into his hands, the naturalist revived in him. 

 He was seized with a desire to see the birds which Wilson described, 



