83 
the main current, it would have swept us down with great 
force. In addition to this, we experienced a real equinoctial 
tempest, so that the passage was far from being comfortable. I 
hired a horse upon the opposite bank, and rode in less than an 
hour to Mr. Andry’s habitation, ten miles distance. The horses 
here are trained to a small gallop or canter, which is upon the 
whole not fatiguing, and carries you speedily. The storm had 
driven off in a thunder-squall, I felt but the beginning of it, and 
reached the habitation just at the right time. I galloped back 
again about five o’clock in the evening, under a beautiful clear 
sky. The road ran partly on the levee, partly along side of it. 
The land is chiefly cane-fields. I came past three considerable 
sugar plantations, from which canals were made in the cypress 
woods behind the fields, and thence to the Lake Barataria. 
These canals are intended principally for the carriage of wood. 
The young sprouts of the sugar cane made their appearance above 
ground, and the negroes were employed in weeding it.' The 
passage over the river was shorter this evening than in the morn¬ 
ing, it lasted an half hour. 
Dr. Herman showed me, at my farewell visit to him, besides 
his library, the claws and head of an alligator, which he had 
shot on the lake Barataria. The teeth of this reptile are in¬ 
deed very long, but they do not appear to be fixed firmly in, 
but are hollow, and seem as if the animal changed them periodi¬ 
cally; for in the cavities of several teeth, which had appeared 
to leave no roots, you see young teeth pushing forth. Below 
the under jaw, the alligator has two little glands, which have a 
strong odour of musk. The Doctor has dried these glands, and 
hung them up in that state for several years, yet still they impart 
a strong musky smelL The alligator perhaps may avail himself 
* of this substance to benumb the fish which come within his reach, 
and then swallow them.* 
Bishop Dubourg, whom I have often visited during my resi¬ 
dence in this place, received me one day in his library, which 
contains besides theological works, many books of science and 
belles lettres. I remarked a perfect set of the French En- 
cyclopedia, and complimented the bishop upon it, and express¬ 
ed my surprise that he should have been able to purchase this 
work so complete in this country. The worthy man related 
with a smile how he had acquired it. As he was travelling 
through Flanders in 1816 and 1817, in company with the 
Bishop Prince de Broglio, he formed an acquaintance with a gen¬ 
tleman and his daughter, well known for their bigotry. The 
latter, a great admirer of books, told him confidingly, that she ex- 
* [Nonsense. ]— Teaks, 
