Page:The History and Travels of Hector Maclean, Late Sailor.pdf/17

 it. We went to work, bent new top ails to our Yards and left our Convoy behind. In a little Time we made all nug, and in a hort pace ran out of the Sight of Land, puruing our Voyage, and had tormy Weather and contrary Winds frequently, through the whole of our Paage, being under great Apprehenions too of every Sail we aw, thinking they might be French Privateers; however in nine Weeks Time we got ight of Land, to our great Joy; being o beaten by the Weather, that we had not a ratling upon one of our Shrouds, and our Fore-ails beat too. The firt Land we aw was Cape Faro, our Captain looked into the Map to ee what Land it was; and when he knew, we altered our Coure, the Wind being E. N. E. we ailed right before it, and next Morning a Pilot came aboard of us a few Leagues without Charles Town, who carried us in, and we came to an Anchor off Charles Town Wharf.

We delivered our Cargo, but could not get a Fright, o we ailed for Cape Faro and came into Wilmington Town. Here I aw an Alligator. Which was killed by a Ship Carpenter belonging to Leith, who was ettled there with his Family. This montrous Creature was thirty-ix foot long And when opened there was found in its Belly a whole and entire Deer, with large branching Horns upon his Head.

The Crocodile and Alligator eem to be one and the ame Animal, at different Ages. They are amphibious, and live both at Land and in the water. It has two fierce glaring Eyes, and carries its Head high above the water when wimming, and will look the Sailors fiercely in the face. It lies amongt the Marhes on the Banks of Ri-