358 



htjmboldt's cuba. 



Nothing can be more gloomy than the view of the 

 marshes around Batabano, for not a tree breaks the 

 monotony of the scene, and the decaying trunks of 

 a few palms only rise, like broken masts, in the 

 midst of great thickets of running vines and purple 

 flag flowers. 



As we remained only one night at Batabano, I 

 regretted that I could not obtain exact information 

 relative to the two species of eocodrilos that infest 

 the swamp. The inhabitants call one the cayman, 

 and the oth&r the cocodrilo, which name is generally 

 applied to both. We were assured that the latter is 

 the most agile, and the tallest when on its feet ; that 

 its snout runs to a much sharper point than that of 

 the cayman, with which it never associates. It is 

 very fearless, and is even said to leap on board of 

 vessels when it can find a support for its tail. The 

 great daring of this animal was noticed during the 

 early expeditions of Diego Velasquez. At the river 

 Cauto, and along the marshy coast of Jagua, it will 

 wander a league from the sea-shore to devour the 

 hogs in the fields. Some attain a length of fifteen 

 feet, and the most savage of them will, it is said, 

 chase a man on horseback like the wolves of Europe 

 —while those that are known as caymanes at Bata- 

 bano, are so timid that the people do not fear to 

 bathe in waters where they dwell in droves. 



