We
Careened Our Ship And Rummaged Our Prize In The Bay Of Sardinas, And
Watered At One Of The Fresh-Water Rivers, Which Was As White As Milk,
And Both Smelt And Tasted Very Strong Of Musk, Occasioned By Many
Alligators Swimming In It.
We shot several of these creatures, one of
which measured thirty feet in length, and was bigger about than a
bullock.
The alligator is covered over with great scales from head to tail,
having very large sharp teeth, and very long claws. It is amphibious,
living both on land and in the water, and when lying on shore is often
mistaken at a distance for a great tree fallen down. It runs very fast
on the land, and is of such strength that one of them will take a horse
or a cow into the water, and there devour it. They will seize on any
thing, either on land or in the water, and often make great havock among
cattle near their haunts, which are usually in fresh-water rivers. The
Indians are not greatly afraid of them, either on land or in the water.
In the former case, they run in circles, and this unwieldy animal is
unable to turn his body quickly, so that they easily get away from them.
The Indians also go into the water to seek them, taking in one hand a
piece of iron pointed and baited at both ends, with two cross pieces a
little below the points. Holding this iron by the middle, when the
alligator rises to bite, which he always does with, the head above
water, the Indian holds out the iron to him which he snaps at, and it
fastens in his mouth, keeping his jaws open like a gag.
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