Chap. XV. YOUNG ALLIGATORS. 181 



take refugo behind a tree, and, wheeling round it, .stab him as 

 he passes. 



A tree which was in flower brought back to my memory 

 the pleasant fragrance of the hawthorn, which it resembled in 

 nost respects, only that the flowers were as large as dog-roses, 

 md the "haws" like boys' marbles. The flowers in this part 

 3$ the country smell sweetly, while in the south they seldom 

 emit any scent at all, and then only a nauseous one. A botanist 

 would find a rich harvest on the banks of the Leeba. The 

 climbing plants display great vigour, being thick not only 

 in the butt, but at the very summit, like quickly-growing 

 asparagus. The maroro or malolo abounds in many parts 

 between this and Angola. It is a small bush, resembling a 

 dwarf " anona," with a yellow fruit of a sweet taste, and full 

 of seeds, like the custard-apple. 



On the 28th we slept at a spot on the right bank from 

 which two broods of alligators had just emerged. We had 

 seen many young ones as we came up sunning themselves on 

 sandbanks in company with the old ones, so that this seems 

 to be their time for coming forth from their nests. "We made 

 our fire in one of the nests, which was strewed with the 

 broken shells. At the Zouga we saw sixty eggs taken out of 

 a single nest. They are about the same size as those of a 

 goose, but perfectly round. The shell is partially elastic, 

 from having a strong internal membrane and but little lime 

 in its composition. The spot was about ten feet above the 

 water, and the broad path leading down to the river-side 

 furnished evidence of its having been used for a similar 

 purpose in former years. The dam, after depositing her eggs, 

 covers them up, and returns to assist the young out of their 

 place of confinement. Assistance seems necessary, for, besides 

 the tough membrane of the shell, they have four inches of 

 earth upon them. They do not however require immediate 

 food, because they retain a portion of yolk, equal to that of a 

 hen's egg in a membrane in the abdomen, as a stock of 

 nutriment. When this is expended the dam leads them to 

 the water's edge, and lets them catch fish for themselves. 

 This is the principal food of both small and large, and they 

 are much assisted in catching them by their broad scaly tails. 

 Generally speaking; they avoid the sight of man, but occasion- 



