The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-04-25

Tue ODJeCtSj IueJ were IHS lOIuIo VI SAS
crocodilidB, the giant lizards-they
were alligators. Huge ones they were
some of them; and many they were il
mum ber-a hundred at least were crawl
ing over the islet, before, behind, and
on all sides around me. Their long
gaunt jaws and channelled snouts pro-
jected forward SO as almost to touch
my body; and their eyes, usually lead
en-, seemed now to glare. Impelled by
this new danger 1 sprang to my feet;
when, recognising the upright form OF
man, the reptiles scuttled off, and plung-
ing hurriedly into the lake, hid their
hideous bodies under the water.
The incident in some measure revived
me. 1 saw that 1 wasnot alone; there
was COMPANY even in the crocodiles. l
gradually became more myself, and be-
gan to reflect with some degree of cool
ness on the circumstances that surround d
ed me- My eyes wandered over the
islet; every inch of it came under M
glance; every object upon it was scru-
tinised: the moulted feathers of wild
fowl, the pieces f sand, the fresh water
muscles (uuias) strewed upon the beach
all were examined. Still the barren
answer, no means of escape.
The islet was but lie head of sand
bar formed by the eddy, perhaps gath
cred together within the year. 1t was
bare of herbage, with the exception of a
few tufts of grass. There was neither
tree nor bush upon it; not stick. A
raft, indeed There was not wood
enough to make raft that would have
foated frog. The idea of rat was
but briefly entertained; such thought
had certainly crossed my mind, but a
single glance round the islet dispclled it
before it had taken shape. 1 paced my
prison from end to end; from side to side
1 walked it over L tried the waters
depth; on all sides sounded it, wading
recklessly in; everywhere it deepened
rapidly as 1 advanced. Three lengths
of my self from the islet's edge, and 1
was up to the neck. The huge reptiles
swan around, snorting and blowing
they were bolder in this clement.
could not have waded, safely ashore,
even had the water been shallow. To
swim it-no-even though swan like
duck, they would have closed upon and
quartered me before L could have made
dozen strokes Horrifed by their de-
monstrations, 1 turned back upon dry
ground, and paced the isleb with drip
ping garments L continued walking
until night, which gathered ronnd me
dark aud dismal With night came
new voices, the hideous voices of the
nocturnal swamp; the qua-qua of the
night heron, the screech of the swamp
owl, the cry of the bittern, the el-l-uk of
the great water toad, the tinkling of the
bell-frog and the chip of the savanna
cricket, all fell upon my ear. Sound sstill
harsher and more hideous were heard
around me-the splashing of the alligator,
and the roaring of his voice, these re-
minded me that must not go tosleep,
To sleep burst not have slept for sin
gle instant Even when | lay fer few
minutes motionless, the dark reptiles
came crawling round me, so close that
I could have put forth my hand and
touched them. .--..-....... .. ..
At intervals, 1 sprang to my feet,
shouted, swept my gun around, and
chased them back to the water, into
which they betook themselves with a
sullen plunge, but with little semblance
of fear. At each fresh demonstration
on my part, they showed less alarm un-
til could no longer drive them, either
with shout or threatening gestures
They only retreated few feet, forming
an irregular circle round me.
Thus hemmed in, 1 became frighten-
ed in turn. I loaded my gun, and fred
1 killed none. They are imperious to
bullet, except in the eye or under the
forearm It was too dark to aim at
these parts; and my shots glanced harm
lessly from the pyrmidal scales of their
bodies. The loud report, however, and
the blaze, frightened them, and they
fed, to return again after long inter
val 1 was asleep when they returned 3;
1 had gone to sleep IN spite of my eff
forts to keep awake. was started by
the touch of something cold and, half
stiffed by the strong musky odor that
filed the air, threw out my arms
My fingers rested upon an object slippery
and clammY; it was one of these mon
sters-one of gigantic size. He had
crawled close alongside me, and was pre-
pairing to make his attack, as l saw that
he was bent in the form of bow, and L
knew that these cretures assumed that
attittde when about to strike their vie
tim. I was just in.time to spring aside,
and avoid the stroke of his powerful
tail, Tat the next moment swept the
ground where l had lain. Again I fired
and lie, with the rest, once more retreat
ed to the lake.
All thoughts of going to sleep we're
at an end. Not that L felt wakeful
on the contrary, wearied with my days
for bad 1ouo, null ,ndar