NORTH AMERICA, 121 
adequate idea of it to the reader, and at the fame 
time avoid raifirsg 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 dole together from fhore 
to fhore, that it would have been eafy to have 
walked acrofs on their heads, had the animals 
been harmlefs ? What exprefiions can fufficiently 
declare the fhocking fcene that for fome minutes 
continued, whilft 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 flapped 
about his eyes and lips, ere he had fwallowed them. 
The horrid noife of their dofmg jaws, their plung-, 
ing amidft the broken banks of fifn, and rifing 
with their prey fome feet upright above the water, 
the floods of water and blood ruffling out of their 
mouths, and the clouds of vapour iffiiing from their 
wide noftils, were truly frightful. This fcene con- 
tinued at intervals during the night, as the fifh 
came to the pals. After this fight, fhocking and 
tremendous as it was, I found myfelf fomewhat ea- 
fier and more reconciled to my fituation ■, being 
convinced that their extraordinary affemblage here 
was owing to this annual feaft of fifh ; and that 
they were fo well employed in their own element, 
that I had little occalion to fear their paying me a 
Vifit, ' . ' 
It 
