FIGHT BETWEEN TWO ALLIGATORS. 
113 
some weeks companions in suffering, neither mani- 
fested a disposition to commence hostilities, hut oc- 
cupied different parts of the tank, sinking to the 
bottom, and occasionally thrusting their noses above 
the surface to take breath. The water did not ex- 
ceed five feet in depth, so that unless they kept the 
middle of the tank they might be seen as they lay 
at the bottom almost immovable. Though the place 
was crowded with spectators, the huge reptiles did not 
appear to be disturbed by so unusual a concourse, 
and even occasionally bore to be poked with a long 
pole before they would move from the mud in which 
they had embedded themselves. At length, the car- 
cass of a sheep was thrown into the water just above 
where the smallest alligator lay. The voracious 
creature immediately rose and seized it; which it 
had no sooner done than its companion appeared on 
the surface, and with the swiftness of a shaft rushed 
towards its rival to participate in the tempting ban- 
quet, the turbid element dividing before it as if 
ploughed with the keel of a ship. In a moment both 
sank, and for some time the water was much dis- 
turbed, the black mud rising in considerable quan- 
tities, and an occasional splashing sufficiently attested 
the severity of the struggle that was taking place 
below. After a while one of the combatants 
appeared with a portion of the sheep in its jaws, 
which having devoured, it again sank, and the strug- 
gle was evidently renewed. In a short time the 
water was strongly tinged with blood, the mud con- 
tinued to rise and the splashing encreased. The 
anxiety of the spectators was excited to the highest 
l 3 
