\ 



34-9 



and the foldiers, inftead of fighting, had only 

 to return to their beds ! 



We have fince had one of thefe frightful 

 amphibia killed, and I may venture to fay, 

 that a more hideous fpecimen of the animal 

 creation, can fcarcely be met with. It appear- 

 ed the moft forbidding of nature's forms. The 

 green eyes, the fharp teeth and monftrous 

 jaws, the flrong waving tail, the hard impene-< 

 trable fkin, and the fiiort thick legs, and for- 

 midable claws, together with the circumftance 

 of its crawling fo near the earth, render the 

 alligator a real objed of horror. He is ftrong- 

 ly armed both for attack and defence : while 

 his fcaly horn-like fkin, ferves as a protect- 

 ing coat of mail, he pofTeffes, as an affailant, 

 the devouring grafp of his fhark-like teeth, 

 and the power of ftriking a blow with his 

 Jtrong {hell-like tail, which might knock a 

 man down, or fradhire his legs. — His fhort 

 limbs are alfo of peculiar ftrength, and are 

 each armed with four powerful claws. 



With all this ftrength of form, and of ac- 

 tion, he is an animal Angularly tenacious of life : 

 indeed, by the common means of deftru£tioii 



