cr own readers

8 A)IQXG THE ALLIGATORS,
growth of marshy plants, I found th e air filled with
It musky odour. I knew by experience that it was
th e odour given out by th e alligator. Soon I heard
that sharp clacking noise which these creatures an:
fond of making with th eir huge jaws; and presently
I saw a large alligator not fifteen feet away on my
righ t, close to the bank of th e riv er. In th e bright
moonligh t, and in that clear water, the long body
of the crea ture shone greyish-green. Every mark
on it was distin ct. Right ah ead I saw another, and
th ere was still another to my left ; and farther on,
in th e shadow of the reeds, lay one, two, three big
ones and severa l small ones. In front, th e waters
swarmed with th em.
4. Drifting like a log with th e stream, th e canoe
did not attract th eir at tention. It was necessary to
steer very car efully, howev er, in order to escape a
collision with thcm, as one of th em migh t return the
blow with a snap of his formidable jaws. Iu spite of
all my precautions, while passing und er th e shadow
of some great trees, I ran straight upon the back of
a large female alli gator without secing her. She did
not move ; and as the canoe grated against her side
in pa ing on, her eyes glared into mine so ncar that
I could have touched them with my fingers. I cocked
my rifle, but the great creature made no effort to
attack me. Th en I saw about twenty little alligators
regain th eir places on her back and head, from which
my canoe had th rown th em.
5. Now and th en an alliga tor would lash th e
water Iuriously with its powerful tail, uud utter a
stra nge sighing bellow. One after anoth er all those
within hearing would join in, making the waters foam