294 THE ADVENTURES OF 



The sun had scarcely risen, when I saw on the shore, at about 

 ten paces from us, three monsters luxuriously stretched out. 

 One of them, from sixteen to twenty feet long, with a brown 

 and rough body, opened its enormous jaws and showed us its 

 frightful teeth. I took Lucien by the hand to lead him nearer 

 to the reptiles, the better to inspect them. 



" I like tigers better than these creatures," said he ; " certainly 

 their roaring is frightful to listen to, but they are by no means 

 so hideous." 



" Look along there, M. Sumichrast ! " cried Lucien, when we 

 had again taken to our raft; "there are eyes floating on the 

 water." 



" You are not mistaken, they are crocodile's eyes." 



The child nestled up to me, and I encouraged him ; but these 

 dark eyes appearing in every direction, and following every 

 movement of the raft, troubled him beyond expression. 



The banks of the river were covered with alligators, with their 

 mouths wide agape. Some of them glided down into the water 

 and came near us, but the majority remained motionless, not 

 caring to exert themselves. Lucien's fear began to calm down. 

 He had so wished to see plenty of alligators, now he complained 

 that there were too many. 



"Look at that one!" said Sumichrast, "climbing up that 

 spit of land ! He turns round with difiiculty, and looks as if he 

 scarcely had the use of his limbs. The fact is, that his body 

 has no proper joints, and only moves in one piece. The best 

 way, therefore, to escape from an alligator is to run up and down, 

 making the turns short and rapid." 



The stream had hitherto flowed almost on a level with its 

 banks, now the latter became gradually higher, and we floated 

 along under an arch of foliage. L'Encuerado happened to raise 

 himself to point out to Lucien a tree covered with parrots, 

 between whom and the Indian there immediately commenced a 

 lively chatter. Diverted by this amusing conversation, none of 

 us perceived an enormous branch, which just grazed Our heads, 

 but upset our entertainer. When he emerged from the water, 

 instead of swimming towards us, I'Encuerado made his way to 



