Southern shield., 1855-05-26

too dark to aim at these parts; and my shots glanced harmlessly from the pyramidical scales of their bodies. The loudreport, how ever, and the blaze, frightened them, and they fed to return again after long inter val. Twas asleep when they returned; Ihad gone to sleep in spite of my efforts to keep awake. I was startled by the touch of some thing cold; and, half stihed by the strong husky oder that filled the air, threw out my arms my fingers rested upon an object slip
 pery and clammy; it was one of these mon sters-one of gigantic size. He had crawled
 close alongside of me, and was preparing tol make his attack, as 1 saw hewas bent in the
 form of bow, and knew that these crea- tpres assumed that attitude when about to
 strike their victim. was justin time to spring aside, and avoid the stroke of his powerful tail, that the next moment swept the ground where l had lain. Again 1 fired, and he, with the rest, once more retreated to the lake. All thoughts of going to sleep were at an
 end. Not that felt wakeful; on the contra
 ", wearied with my days exertions-for
 had had long pull under tropical sun--I
 could have laid down upon the earth, in the
 mud, anywhere, and sleptin an instant. Mo- | thing but the dead certainty of my peril kept luC dNdACs OliCC UtlOIC IlUIUlllD, l
 was compelled to battle with the hideous rep tiles, and chased them away with a shot from my gun.
 Morning came at length, but with no change
 in my perilous situation. The light only
 showed me my island prison, but revealed no
 way of escape from it. Indeed, the change
 could not be called for the better, for the fer i vid rays of an almost vertical sun poured
 down upon me untilmy skin blistered. I was
 already specked by the bites of a thousand
 swamp flies and mosquitoes that all night
 preyed upon me. There was not a cloud in I the heavens to shade me- and the sunbeams
 smote the surface of the dead bayou with a
 double intensity.
 l Towards evening I began to hunger; no
 wonder at that. 1 had not eaten since leav- ing the village settlement. To assuage thirst, I drank the water of the lake, turbid and sli- z my as it was. drank it in large quantities, z for it was hot, and only moistened my palate [ without quenching the cravings of my appe-
 tite. Of water there was enough: l had
 great deal more fear from want of food.- Il What could I eat? The ibis. But how
 to cook it? There was nothing where with to make fire-nota stick. Nomatter
 for that. Cooking is modern invention, a l luxury for pampered palates. I divested the ibis of its brilliant pfumage, and ate it raw : spoiled my specimen, but at the time there was little thought of that. There was
 not much of the naturalist left in me- 1 an f athemized the hour had ever promised to pro : cure the bird; I wished my friend up to hi } neck in the swamp. The ibis did not weigl t above three pounds, bones and all. It served me for second meal, but at this picked D the bones
 I What next? Starve? No-not yet. II the battles 1 had had with the alligators dur ing the second night, one of them had receiv ed shot that proved mortal. The hideous carcas of the reptile lay dead upon the beach. ,l 1 need not starye; l could eat that. Suci were my reflections. l must hunger. before I could bring myself to touch the musky mor- : sel. Two days more fasting conquered my
 squesinishness, l drew out my knife, cut 9 :. steak from the alligator 5 tai. sna ase it.
 not the one I had first killed, but second 2 the other was now putrid, rapidly decompos- ing under the hot sun--its odor filled the islet .l The stench had grown intolerable. There
 was not breath of air stirring; otherwise
 might have stunned it by keeping to wind
 ward. The whole atmosphere of the islet, as
 well as large circle round was impregnateC
 with the fearful effluvium. I could bear il no longer. With the aid of my gun, push lI ed the half-decomposed carcass into the lake Perhaps the current might carry it away Il did; l had the satisfaction to see, it float off. ,l This circumstance led me into a train of re- factions. Why did the body of the alligator float. It was swollen, inflated with gases.- il Ha!
 An idea shot suddenly through my mind
 one of those brilliant ideas. the children ol
 necessity. thought of the floating alligator, of its intestines- if 1 inflated them! Yes, yes. buoys and bladders, floats and life preservers that was the thought. I would open the alligaters, and make buoy of theil ntestines, and that would bear me from the : islet
 T I did not lose moments time; was full of energy: hope had given me new life. My gun was loaded-a huge crocodile that swan
 near the shore received the shot in his eye l dragged him on the beach; with my knife laid open his entrails. Few they were but enough for my purpose. A plume quill from the wing of the ibis served me for blow
 pipe 1 saw the bladder-like skin expand
 until was surrounded by objects like great
 sausages. These were tied together, and fas- tened to my body, and then, with plunge, ; entered the waters of the lake and f1oateo ! downward. had tied on my life-preservel in such way that sat in the water in al upright position, holding my gun with botl hands. This I had intended to have used as /. club in case was attacked by the alligators; but had chosen the hot hour of noon, when when these creatures lie in half torpid state and to my joy l was not molested. Half ar : hours drifting with the current carried me te : the end of the lake, and found myself at the mouth of the bayou. HHe, to my great de light, saw my boat in ole swamp, where il , had been caught and held fast by the sedge. A few minutes more, and had swung my 5 self over the gunwale and was sculling, witt eager strokes, down the smooth waters of the , bayou.
 A poet asked a gentleman what he thought of his last production, "Ar :. Ode to Sleep?'' The latter replied "You have done so much justice to the
 subject, that it is impossible to read il without feeling its whole weight ;, "Father," said an ambitious shaver,
 abour the size of a pepper-pox, q can do without shoes, but I am suffering for bosom pin"