160 



ALLIGATORS. 



form a party for the destruction of the 

 animal, and station people on the look-out 

 in canoes to discover his general place of 

 resort, and whether he leaves the water to 

 bask on the beach ; which being ascertain- 

 ed, in the latter case, they collect in a 

 body, armed with musquets and javelins, 

 and conceal themselves in the wood be- 

 hind that part of the beach where he ge- 

 nerally makes his appearance, and on his 

 coming a-shore, and extending himself for 

 sleep, by a volley of musquetry fired at the 

 lower part of his side, whilst a shower of 

 javelins is darted to nail him to the beach, 

 they generally succeed in despatching him. 

 Some of them are, however, as the natives 

 assert, so wary, that they are not to be 

 destroyed in this manner ; and after having 

 commenced hostilities with mankind, seem 

 to be aware of the dangers that await them 

 by land : they, therefore, cease to come on 

 shore, taking their rest at the bottom of 



