NORTH AMERICA. 
ICT 
adequate idea of it to the reader, and at the fame 
time avoid railing fufpicions of my veracity. Should 
I fay, that the river (in this place) from fhore to 
fhore, and perhaps near half a mile above and be- 
low me, appeared to be one folid bank of fifh, of 
various kinds, pufhing through this narrow pafs 
of St. Juan’s into the little lake, on their return 
down the river, and that the alligators were in fuch 
incredible numbers, and fo clofe together from fhore 
to fhore, that it would have been eafy to have 
walked acrofs on their heads, had the animals 
been harmiefs ? Vfhat expreffions can fufficiently 
declare the fhocking fcene that for fome minutes 
continued, whilfl this mighty army of fifh were forc- 
ing the pafs ? During this attempt, thoufands, I 
may fay hundreds of thoufands, of them were caught 
and fwallowed by the devouring alligators. I have 
feen an alligator take up out of the water feveral 
great fifh at a time, and juft fqueeze them betwixt 
his jaws, while the tails of the great trout happed 
about his eyes and lips, ere he had fwallowed them. 
The horrid noife of their clofmg jaws, their plung- 
ing amidft the broken banks of fifh, and rifing 
with their prey fome feet upright above the water, 
the floods of water and blood rufhing out of their 
mouths, and the clouds of vapour iffuing from their 
wide nofbrils, were truly frightful. This fcene con- 
tinued at intervals during the night, as the iifh 
came to the pafs. After this fight, fhocking and 
tremendous as it was, I found rnyfelf fomewhat ea~ 
her and more reconciled to my fituation ; being 
convinced that their extraordinary affemblage here 
was owing to this annual feaff of filh ; and that 
N they were fo well employed in their own element, 
that i had little cccafio n to fear their paying me a 
vifit. 
5 
It 
