Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/297

Rh here and there, among the weeds. I took the liberty of speaking my mind to him about this needless shooting. He smiled, agreed with what I said, and continued to shoot. I wished him, in petto, bad digestion!

As regards the alligators, I could not have very much compassion on them. They are so hideous to behold, and are so terrible; for though they do not attack grown people, unless in self-defence, still they carry off the little negro children without ceremony. They swim with the upper part of the body above the water, so that it is not difficult to hit them with a bullet in the body and the fore-legs. On this they dive down, or, if severely wounded, turn on one side; they are often seen like masses of living mud, rolling themselves on the shore to hide themselves among the water-reeds that grow there. Their number and their fearlessness here are amazing. It is said that even two years ago they were so numerous that it was difficult for boats to get along. They make a sort of grunting or bellowing sound, and it is said that early in the spring, at pairing-time, they make a horrible noise.

I spent the whole day on the piazza, dividing my attention between natural scenes and the perusal of Columbus's journal, which he kept during his first voyage of discovery among the enchanting islands of the new world. Molly of the Sand-hills was troublesome all day, though she mostly kept out of the way of our dominant lady. In the afternoon we passed many wild orange-groves.

We reached Lake Munroe, the goal of our journey, last evening. Beyond this point there is neither steam-boat nor yet any carriage-road. Mr. Belle C. left us here, intending to continue his journey of discovery through the wilderness on horseback. We landed at Enterprise, a new settlement, with a hospital, in the neighbourhood of Fort Melun, which also is situated near the Lake, and is erected as a defence against the Indians. The house at