166 



ALLIGATOR MIRAGE. 



of several thousand cows, they asked in vain $o* 

 milk, and were obliged to content themselves witK 

 some muddy and fetid water drawn from a neigh- 

 bouring pool, of which they contrived to drink by 

 using a linen cloth as a filter. When the mules ; 

 were unloaded, they were set at liberty to go and 

 search for water, and the strangers following them 

 came upon a copious reservoir surrounded with palm- 

 trees. Covered with dust and scorched by the sandy 

 wind of the desert, they plunged into the pool, but 

 had scarcely begun to enjoy its coolness when the 

 noise of an alligator floundering in the mud induced 

 them to make a precipitate retreat. Night coming 

 on, they wandered about in search of the farm with- 

 out succeeding in finding it, and at length resolved 

 to seat themselves under a palm-tree, in a dry spot 

 surrounded by short grass, when an Indian, who had 

 been on his round collecting the cattle, coming up 

 on horseback, was persuaded, though not without 

 difficulty, to guide them to the house. At two in 

 the morning they set off, with the view of reaching 

 Calabozo before noon. The aspect of the country 

 continued the same. There was no moonlight, but 

 the great masses of nebulae illumined part of the ter- 

 restrial horizon as they set out. As the sun as- 

 cended, the phenomena of mirage presented them- 

 selves in all their modifications. The little currents 

 of air that passed along the ground had so variable a 

 temperature, that in a herd of wild cow r s some ap- 

 peared with their legs raised from the surface, while 

 others rested upon it. The objects were generally 

 suspended, but no inversion was observed. At sun- 

 rise the plains assumed a more animated appearance ; 

 the horses, mules, and oxen, which graze on them 

 in a state of freedom, after having reposed during the 

 night beneath the palms, now assembled in crowds. 

 As the travellers approached Calabozo they saw 

 troops of small deer feeding in the midst of the 

 cattle. These animals, which are called matacani, 



