NORTH AMERICA. 
who kept clofe after me ; and when I ftepped on 
more and turned about, in order to draw up my 
canoe, he rufhed up near my feet, and lay there for 
fome time, looking me in the face, his head and 
moulders out of water. I refolved he mould pay 
for his temerity, and having a heavy load in my fu- 
fee, I ran to my camp, and returning with my piece, 
found him with his foot on the gunv/ale of the boat, 
in fearch of fifh On my coming up he withdrew 
fullenly and flowly into the water, but foon returned 
and placed himfelf in his former pofition, looking 
at me, and feeming neither fearful nor any way 
difturbed. I foon difpatched him by lodging the 
contents of my gun in his head, and then proceeded 
to cleanfe and prepare my fifh for fupper ; and 
accordingly took them out of the boat, laid them 
down on the fand clofe to the water, and began to 
fcale them ; when, raifing my head, I faw before 
me, through the clear water, the head and moul- 
ders of a very large alligator, moving flowly towards 
me. I inftantly ftepped back, when, with a (weep 
of his tail, he brumed off fever al of my fifh. It 
was certainly moft providential that I looked up at 
that inftant, as the monfter would probably, in lefs 
than a minute, have feized and dragged me into the 
river. This incredible boldnefs of the animal dif- 
turbed me greatly, fuppofmg there could now be no 
reafonable fafety for me during the night, but by 
keeping continually on the watch : I therefore, as 
foon as I had prepared the fifh, proceeded to fe- 
cure my fell and e Seels in the be ft manner I could. 
In the firft place, I hauled my bark upon the 
fhore, aim oft clear out of the water, to prevent 
their overfetting or linking her ; after this, every 
moveable was taken out and carried to my camp 3 
which was but a few yards off; then ranging fome 
.dry 
