ALL 
chey at all lefs fortunate in their attacks on the 
Alligator. In order to catch that animal, they 
tlirow three or four ftrong nets acrofs fome river, 
at proper diftances from one another; fo that if 
the Alligator breaks through the firft, it may pofTi- 
bly be entangled by one of the next. When it 
firft feels itfelf entangled in the net, it exerts it's 
tail, the grand inftrument of it's ftrength, with it's 
utmoft force ; but, after many unavailing ftruggles, 
it's force is at laft exhaufted. The natives then ap- 
proach their captive in boats, and continue to pierce 
it with fharp weapons in the moft tender parts, till 
it becomes enfeebled through lofs of blood. When 
it's motion feems wholly to ceafe, they begin to 
tie up it's mouth with a cord; and to faften it's 
head to it's tail, by bending the body like a 
bow. However, they do not then confider them- 
felves as perfeftly fecure from it's fury; and, for 
their greater fafety, they tie all it's feet to the top 
of the back. Thefe precautions are effentially 
neceifary; for, were they omitted, the animal would 
in general foon recover ftrength enough amply to 
revenge the injury it had received. 
The Alligator, when thus fubdued by the taming 
arts of man,- or bred up from it's infancy, is often 
ufedforthediverfion and entertainment of the gran- 
dees of the eaft. It is fometimes managed like a 
horfe ; and, a curb being put into it's m.outh, it is 
obliged to fubmit to the pleafureof it's rider; and, 
though aukwardly formed for a beaft of burden, 
it proceeds with a degree of fwiftnefs not much 
inferior to that of fome of our own lefs unwieldy 
animals. 
The Alligator is frequently caught in the Afri- 
can rivers, by the natives, after the fame manner 
as the iliark by Fairopeans. They fet out on thefe 
expeditions in large boats; and, affixing a piece 
of beef to a hook, with a ftrong line, the animal 
no fooner feizes and fwallows the bait, than it is 
drawn along, floundering and ftTuggling, till quite 
exhaufted. It is then pierced in the tendereft parts 
of the belly; and, after having received a fuffici- 
ent number of wounds, the creature is dragged 
aftiore. 
In other parts of the world, as well as in Siam, 
the Alligator forms an objeft of favage grandeur 
near the regal habitations. Philips informs us, that 
at Sabi, on the Slave coaft, there are two ponds 
near the royal palace, in which crocodiles are bred 
in the fame manner as carp in Europe. 
Hitherto we have been defcribing the Alliga- 
tor of defart regions, or climes at beft but little 
explored, where native liberty fublimes it's rage, 
and every thing endued with life is obnoxious to 
it's rapacity; but in Egypt, and in other coun- 
tries long peopled, v/here the inhabitants have 
received fome degree of civilization, and the ri- 
vers are well frequented, this animal is folitary 
and timid. So far from venturing to attack the 
human j'pecies with unprovoked infolence, it finks 
at the approach of man, with the utmoft precipi- 
tation, and declines the conteft, as if fenfible of 
his fuperior force. 
Through the whole order of irrational animals, 
a contempt for mankind prevails, till they have 
experienced his irrefiftible powers. The lion and 
the tiger among beafts, the whale among fifties, 
and the albatrofs and the penquin among birds, 
at firft encounter man without dread or apprehen- 
fion; but no fooner do they feel his power, than 
they acknowledge his fuperiority, and feek for 
fhelter in the deepeft receftes of nature. This 
ALL 
may account fon the various and contradi6lory 
accounts which travellers at different periods have 
given us of the crocodile and the Alligator: fome 
depifting them as harmlefs and timid; as ever 
avoiding the fight of man, and preying only on 
fifhes; while others rank them among the de- 
ftroyers of nature, afcribe prodigious ftrength and 
malignity to them, and reprefent them as the in- 
veterate enemies' of the human race, v/hofe flelh. 
they prefer to any other. Different, hov/ever, as 
thefe accounts are, they are both equally true: for, 
wherever the Alligator has long reigned unmolefted 
and fecure, it is there favage, bold, and dangerous; 
and wherever it has been harralTed by mankind, it's 
retreats invaded, and it's companions deib-oyed, 
there it becomes timorous, and forgets it's native 
rage. Indeed, in fome countries, this animal, in- 
ftead of being formidable, is not only inofFenfive, 
but even cheriflied and admired. In the River San 
Dom.ingo, the Alligators are tlie moft harmlefs 
creatures in nature ; the children play with them, 
ride upon their backs, and even beat them, with- 
out receiving the fmalleft injury. 
The mulky fmell of thefe animals may proba- 
bly render them grateful to- the favages of that 
part of Africa; and, indeed, they are often known 
to cut off the parts of the Alligator which con- 
tain the mufl<, and to wear them about their per- 
ibns as the choiceft perfume. Travellers are not 
agreed where thefe muflc-bags are fituated; fome 
placing them in the ears, and others in the parts 
of generation : the m.oft probable opinion is, that 
this mufky fubftance is contained in the glands 
of the arms and legs. But from wliatfoever part 
of the body this odour proceeds, it is very ftrong 
and powerful, tinclHruring the flefh of the whole 
body of the animal with it's tafce and fmell. The 
Alligator's flelli, at beft, is but very indifferent 
food; and, unlefs the mufk-bags are feparated 
from it, is almoft intolerable. Even the negroes 
themfelves can fcarcely digeft the flefh, but the 
egg is by them efteem a moft delicious morfel. 
Among the moft favage nations there is always 
fome degree of epicurifm to be met with; and 
thofe who polTefs this quality fpare neither pains 
nor danger to procure their favourite repaft : for 
this reafon, they often watch the place where the 
Alligator comes to depofit it's eggs, and feize on 
the booty the inftant they can take it with fafety. 
The Alligator always breeds near frefh-v/ater ri- 
vers; and though it is fometimes found in the fea> 
that may rather be confidered as a place of excur- 
fion than of abode. It produces it's young by 
eggs, as has been already hinted; and for this pur- 
pole the female chufes a place by the fide of -a 
river, or fome frefh-water lake, in which to de- 
pofit her brood. She always fecks out an exten- 
five fandy fhore, where fhe may dig a hole without 
danger of deteftion. The fhore muft alfo be 
Irnooth, and rather fhelving to the water, for the 
greater convenience of the animal's going and re- 
turning; and an eafy path is alfo fought near the 
verge of the ftream, by which the young may have 
readier accefs. When thefe preliminaries are ad- 
iufted, the animal is feen cautioufly ftealing on 
111 ore, to depofit lier burden. The prefence of a 
man, a beaft, or even a bird, is fufHcient to deter 
her; and if ftie perceives any creature in fight, flie 
always returns: but, fliould nothing intrufive ap- 
pear, ihe proceeds to fcratch up the fand with her 
fore-paws, making a pretty deep hole, where fhe 
depofits from eighty to a hundred eggs, of the fize 
