696 REPTILIA—ALLIGATOR 
of sheep in a fold. It was on that river, particularly, thousands of the largest 
size were killed, when the mania of having shoes, boots, or saddle-seats 
made of their hides, lasted. It had become an article of trade, and many of 
the squatters and strolling Indians followed for a time no other business. 
The discovery that their skins are not sufficiently firm and close-grained to 
prevent water, or dampness long, puta stop to their general destruction, 
which had already become very apparent. The leather prepared from these 
skins was handsome and very pliant, exhibiting all the regular lozenges 
of the scales, and able to receive the highest degree of polish and finishing. 
“ The usual motion of the alligator, when on land, is slow and sluggish; 
itis a kind of labored crawling, performed by moving alternately each leg, 
in the manner of a quadruped when walking, scarce able to keep up their 
weighty bodies from dragging on the earth, and leaving the track of their 
long tail on the mud, as if that of the keel of a small vessel. Thus they 
emerge from the water, and go about the shores and the woods, or the fields, 
in search of food, or of a different place of abode, or one of safety to deposit 
their eggs. If, at such times, when at all distant from the water, an enemy 
is perceived by them, they droop and lie flat, with the nose on the ground, 
watching the intruder’s movements with their eyes, which are able to move 
considerably round, without affecting the position of the head. Should a 
man then approach them, they do not attempt either to make away or attack, 
but merely raise their body from the ground for an instant, swelling them- 
selves, and issuing a dull blowing, not unlike that of a blacksmith’s bellows. 
Not the least danger need be apprehended ; then you may either kill them with 
ease, or leave them. But, to give you a better idea of the slowness of their 
movements and progress of travels on land, when arrived ata large size, 
say twelve or fifteen feet, believe me when I tell you, that having found one 
in the morning, fifty yards froma lake, going to another im sight, I have 
left him unmolested, hunted through the surrounding swamps all the day, 
and met the same alligator within five hundred yards of the spot, when re- 
turning to my camp at dusk. On this account they usually travel during 
the night, they being then less likely to be disturbed, and having a better 
cnance to surprise a litter of pigs, or of land tortoises, for prey. 
“The power of the alligator is in his great strength ; and the chief means 
uf his attack or defence is his large tail, so well contrived by nature to 
supply his wants, or guard him from danger, that it reaches, when curved 
into half a circle, his enormous mouth. Woe be to him who goes within 
the reach of this tremendous thrashing instrument ; for no matter how strong 
or muscular—if human, he must suffer greatly, if he escapes with life. 
The monster, as he strikes with this, forces all objects within the circle 
towards his jaws, which, as the tail makes a motion, are opened _tg their full 
stretch, thrown a little sideways, to receive the object, and, like batter- 
img-rams, to bruise it shockingly in a moment. 
