332 BtTREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



and hear them a good way off; for, when driven by hunger, they come out 

 of the rivers and crawl about on the islands after prey, and, if they find none, 

 they make such a frightful noise that it can be heard for half a mile. Then 

 the watchman calls the rest of the watch, who are in readiness ; and taking 

 a portion, ten to twelve feet long, of the stem of a tree, they go out to find the 

 monster, who is crawling along with his mouth wide open, ready to catch one 

 of them if he can; and with the greatest quickness they push the pole, small 

 end first, as deep as jpossible (^own his throat, so that the roughness and irregu- 

 larity of the bark may hold it from being got out again. Then they turn the 

 crocodile over on his back, and with clubs and arrows pound and pierce his 

 belly, which is softer; for his back, especially if he is an old one, is impene- 

 trable, being protected by hard scales. (Le Moyne, 1875, p. 10 (illus.) and 

 pi. 26; Swanton, 1922, p. 358.) 



The fierceness attributed to this saurian must be discounted 

 unless Le Moyne has confused the alligator and the true Floridian 

 crocodile, the latter being, according to all accounts, a much tougher 

 customer. The use of the word "crocodile" has no significance, as it 

 was employed for the alligator also at this period. 



Whether gotten from Le Moyne or not, Byrd has a similar 

 story : 



As Fierce and Strong as these Monsters are, the Indians will surprise them 

 Napping as they float upon the Surface, get astride upon their Necks, then 

 whip a short piece of wood like a Truncheon into their Jaws, & holding the 

 Ends with their two hands, hinder them from diving by keeping their mouths 

 open, and when they are almost Spent, they will make to the shoar, where 

 their riders knock them on the Head and Eat them. (Bassett, 1901, pp. 300- 

 302.) 



While Du Pratz was living on Bayou St. Jean, near New Or- 

 leans, he was surprised to see his Chitimacha slave girl kill an alli- 

 gator with a stick of wood, and later he was informed by her that 

 the Chitimacha children, when they found little alligators on the 

 land, pursued and killed them, after which the people of the house 

 went to skin them, carry them home, and make a good feast out of 

 them (Le Page du Pratz, 1758, vol. 1, pp. 85-86). 



This is a debunking tale to counter the "ferocious saurian" stories 

 afloat in Europe. (See also De Villiers, 1925, pp. 122, 124.) 



FISHING 



There seems to have been no taboo against fish eating anywhere in 

 the Southeast, and fish were an item in the native bill of fare in 

 practically all sections. Methods resorted to on the coast and in- 

 land were naturally somewhat different. We know that weirs were 

 used in both, though of distinct types on account of the divergent 

 requirements of coast and inland fishing; that hooks and lines and 

 nets and snares were employed; that fish were shot with arrows or 

 speared, the fish being attracted sometimes by means of fire; that 

 they were stupefied or "poisoned" in small pools or taken out of 



