100 
TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. \November, 
some parts is thickly covered with floating grass and 
duckweed. It is inhabited by immense numbers of the 
fish already mentioned, and alligators, which are so 
thick that there is scarcely any place where you may not 
stir one up. There are also great quantities of very 
small fish about two inches long, which I suppose serve 
as food for the larger ones, which in their turn are pro- 
bably sometimes devoured by the alligators; though it 
appears almost a mystery how so many large animals can 
find a subsistence, crowded together in such a small 
space. 
After breakfast the overseer commenced the alligator- 
hunt. A number of Negroes went into the water with 
long poles, driving the animals to the side, where others 
awaited them with harpoons and lassos. 
Sometimes the lasso was at once thrown over their 
heads, or, if first harpooned, a lasso was then secured to 
them, either over the head or the tail ; and they were 
easily dragged to the shore by the united force of ten 
or twelve men. Another lasso was fixed, if necessary, so 
as to fasten them at both ends, and on being pulled out 
of the water, a Negro cautiously approached with an axe, 
and cut a deep gash across the root of the tail, rendering 
that formidable weapon useless ; another blow across 
the neck disabled the head, and the animal was then left, 
and pursuit of another commenced, which was speedily 
reduced to the same condition. Sometimes the cord 
would break, or the harpoon get loose, and the Negroes 
had often to wade into the water among the ferocious 
animals in a very hazardous manner. They were from 
ten to eighteen feet long, sometimes even twenty, with 
