NORTH AMERICA* 
I 19 
who kept clofe after me; and when I flepped on 
fhore 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 
(boulders out of water. I refolved he fhould 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 gunwale of the boat* 
in fearch of fifh. On my coming up he withdrew 
fullenly and (lowly 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, raifmg my head, I law before 
me, through the clear water, the head and (boul- 
ders of a very large alligator, moving (lowly towards 
me. I inflantly hepped back, when, with a fwcep 
of his tail, he brufhed off feveral of my fifh. It 
was certainly moil providential that ITooked up at 
that inflant, as the mo niter would probably, in lefs 
than a minute, have feized and dragged me into the 
river. This incredible boldr.efs of the animal dif- 
turbed me greatly, fuppoftng there could now be no 
reafonable fafety for me during the night, but by 
keeping continually on the watch ; I therefore, as 
foon as 1 had prepared the fifh, proceeded to fe- 
cure myfelf and effedts in the beft manner I could. 
In the firft place, I hauled my bark upon the 
fhore, almofl cleaj- out of the water, to prevent 
their overfetting or finking her ; after this, every 
moveable was taken out and carried to my camp, 
I 4 which 
