200 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



uncomfortable in this situation, and I thought of Cer- 

 berus on the other side of the Styx ferry. The people 

 pulled the cayman to the surface ; he plunged furiously 

 as soon as he arrived in these upper regions, and imme- 

 diately went below again on their slackening the rope. 

 I saw enough not to fall in love at first sight. I now 

 told them we would run all risks, and have him on 

 land immediately. They pulled again, and out he 

 came, — " monstrum horrendum, informe." This was 

 an interesting moment. I kept my position firmly, 

 with my eye fixed stedfastly on him. 



By the time the cayman was within two yards of 

 me, I saw he was in a state of fear and perturbation ; I 

 instantly dropped the mast, sprung up, and jumped on 

 his back, turning half round as I vaulted, so that I 

 gained my seat with my face in a right position. I 

 immediately seized his fore-legs, and, by main force, 

 twisted them on his back: thus they served me for 

 a bridle. 



He now seemed to have recovered from his surprise, 

 and, probably fancying himself in hostile company, he 

 begun to plunge furiously, and lashed the sand with 

 his long and powerful tail. I was out of reach of the 

 strokes of it, by being near his head. He continued 

 to plunge and strike, and made my seat very uncom- 

 fortable. It must have been a fine sight for an un- 

 occupied spectator. 



The people roared out in triumph, and were so voci- 

 ferous, that it was some time before they heard me tell 

 them to pull me and my beast of burthen further inland. 

 I was apprehensive the rope might break, and then there 

 would have been every chance of going down to the 

 regions under water with the cayman. That would 



