144 NARRATIVEOFAN 



CHAP, Havin<^ mentioned the alligator, I fhall take the li- 



VII. 



berty to offer to the reader (though he cannot but 

 have met with fome account of this creature in reading 

 different voyages) fome particulars which I have myfelf 

 obferved, or of which I have been informed on the beft 

 authority. 



It is an amphibious animal, and found in moft rivers 

 in Guiana ; its fize is from four to eighteen or twenty 

 feet in length ; the tail as long as the body, both of which 

 are on the upper part indented like a faw, its fhape being 

 fomething like a lizard; the colour on the back is a yel- 

 lowifh brown, approaching to black, variegated on the lides 

 with greenifli lhades, the belly being a dirty white ; the 

 head is large, with a fnout and eyes fomewhat refembling 

 thofe of a fow ; the laft immoveable, and guarded each 

 by a large protuberance or hard knob. The mouth and 

 throat, extremely wide, are befet with double rows of 

 teeth, that can fnap almoft through any bone: it has four 

 feet, armed with claws and hard fliarp-pointed nails. 

 The whole animal is covered over with large fcales, and 

 -a fkin fo thick that it is invulnerable, even by a mufquet- 

 ball, except in the head or the belly,, where it is' moft 

 liable to be wounded; its flefh is eaten by the natives, but 

 is of a muiky tafte and flavour, owing it is faid to a kind 

 of bags or bladders which are on the infide of each limb. 

 The alligator lays its eggs on the fliore to a great num- 

 ber in the fand, where they are hatched by the fun, the 



males 



