The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-03-22
.SElIIEG1E STORY,
THE HUNTERS FEAST.

THE HUNTERS FEAST.
CAPTAIN MAYNE REID, in his Hunters
Feast gives the following graphic ac'
count Of thrilling adventure he had on
one Of our wild Western rivers. While
in search of the scarlet ibis. his boat hoa.
ted away and left him on a barren island
He tells his story thus:-
lay in a state Of stupor, almost un'
conscious how long. | know not; but
many hours, | am certain. knew this
by the sun; it was going down when
awoke, il may so term the recovery ol
my stricken senses. | was aroused by a
strange circumstance; ! was surrounded
by dark objects of hideous shape and hue
reptiles they were. They had been
before my eyes for some time, but had
not seen them. had only sort of
dreamy conciousness Of their presence;
but heard them at length; my ear was
in better tune, and the strange noises they
uttered reached my intellect. 1t seemed
like the blowing Of great bellows, with
now and then note harder and louder,
like the roaring Of bull. This startled
me. and lookek up and bent my eyes
upon the obi ects; they were the forms Of
the crocodilidG, the giant lizards-they
were alligators. Huge ones they were,
some OF them; and many they were in
number-a hundred al least were crawl.
ing over the islet, before, behind, and on
all sides around me. Their long gaunt
avs and channelled snouts projected for.
ward so as almost to touch my body; and
their eyes, usually eaden, seemed now
to glare. Tmpelled by this new danger,
sprang to my feet, when, recognising
the upright form of man, the reptiles scut.
tied off, and plunging hurriedly into the
lake, hid their hdeous bodies under the
water.
The incident in some measure revived
me. ! saw that | was moi alone; there
was company even in the crocodies.
gradually became more myself, and be-
gan to reflect with some degree of cool.
ness on the circumstances that surroun'
ded me. My eyes wandered over the
islet; every inch of it came under my
glances; every object upon it was scru'
tinized: the moulted feathers of ~iId fowl
the pieces of sand, the fresh water mus
cles (upias) strewed upon the beach-all
were examined. Still the barren an
swer, no means OF escape.
The islet was but the head Of sand
bar, formed by the eddy, perhaps gath
cred together within the year. 1t was
bare of herbage, with the exception of
Flew turhs Of grass, There was neither
tree nor bush upon it: not a stick. A
raft, indeed! There was not wood enough
10 make a raft that would have Aoated {
frog. The idea of raft was but briefly
entertained; such thought had certainty
crossed my mind, but single glance
round the islet dispeled it before it hat
taken shape. | paced my prison from
end 10 end; from side to side | walked i
over. tried the waters depth; on al
sides sounded it, wading recklessly in
everywhere deepened rapidly as | ad
vanced. Three lengths of myself from
the slet's edge, and was up to the neck
The huge reptiles swan around, snortint
and blowing; they were bolder in thi
element. 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 up
, on and quartered me before | could hav
made dozen strokes. Horriied by thei
demonstrations, | turned back upon DIR.
ground, and paced the lslet with dripping
. Garments continued walking unit
J night, which gathered round me dark an
dismal. With night came new voices
the hideous voices Of the nocturnt
swamp; the qua.qua Of the night heror
the soreech Of the swamp owl the cry
the bttern, the ell uk of the great wate
: toad, the tinklng Of the bell.frog and III
chirp of the savanna cricket, all fell uPo
: nv ear. Sounds still harsher and NOR
I hideous we're heard around meth
splashing Of the alligator, and the roaI
ing Of his voice; these reminded me lh'
/ must NOT goto sleep. To slsePl ] dur
not have sleept for single instant Eve
when lay for 1--WE minutes motionles
the dark reptiles came crawling roun
me, SO close that could have put for
my hand end touched them.
At intervals. sprang to my feet, sho'
led, swept my gun around, and chase
them back to the wafer, into which the