The Trinity times., 1855-03-24
The Hunters S Feast.

CAPTAIN MAYNE REID, in his Hunters
Feast gives the following graphic account
of thrilling adventure he had on one of our
wild Western rivers While in search Of
the scarlet ibis, his boat hoated away, and
left him on barren island. He tells his story
thus -
Jay in state Of stupor, almost uncon-
sclous, how long | know not; but many
hours am certain. | knew this by the sun :;
it was going down when Iawoke, if / may so
term the recovery of my stricken SENSES
was aroused bv a strange circumstance
was surrounded by dark objects Of hideous
shape and hue-reptes they were. They
had been before my eyes for some time, but
| had not seen them. ] had only dreamy
consciousness 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 tie Blowing Of
o. eat bellows, with now and then note
harder and louder. like the roaring of bull.
! This startled me, and looked up and bent
my eyes upon the objects; they were forms
of the cr0codiidae, the giant lizards-they
were alligators. Huge ones they were, some
Of them; aud many were they IN number
| hundred at least were crawling over the
| slet, before behind, and on all sides around
me. Their long gaunt jaws and channellcd
snous projected forward so as almost to
touch my body; and their eyes, usually
leaden, seemed now to glare. lmpelled by
this new danger, | sprang to my feet, when,
recognising the upright form OF man, the
reptiles scuttlod Off and plunging hurriedly
into the lake, hid their hideous bodies under
the water.
The incident in some measure revived me.
| saw that | was not alone; there was COM
pany even in the crocodiles. gradually be-
came more myself and began to reflect with
some degree of GOODNESS on the circumstances
that surrounded me. My eyes wandered
over the islet every inch Of il came under
my glance every object upon it was scrut-
nzed the moulted feathers OF wild fowl, the
pieces of sand, the fresh-water muscles
(unias) strewcd upon the beach-al were
examined. Still the barren answer, nc means
OF escape.
The islet WAS but the head of a sand-bar
formed by the eddy, perhaps gathered toge-
ther within the year. 1t was bare of herb
age, with the exception of few tufts of grass.
There was neither tree nor bush upon II: not
stick a raft indeed. There was not
wood CROUCH to make a raft that would have
foated frog. The idea of a raft was but
briefly entertained such 2 thought had GER
tainly crossed my mind, but single glance
round the iset dispclled it before it had taken
shape. | paced my prison from end to end
from side to side | walked it over. | tried
the waters depth on all sides sounded 1t,
wading recklessly in; everywhere it deepen
cd rapidly as ! advanced. Three lengths Of
myself from the islet's edge, and was up to
the neck. The huge reptiles swan around,
snorting and blowing; they were bolder IN
this element. | could not have waded safely
ashore, even had the water been shallow. 70
swim it--no--even though | swan like
duck, they would have closed upon and quar-
tered me before could have made dozen
strokes. Ilorrfed by their demonstrations,
! turned back upon dry ground, and paced
the iset with dripping garments. contlnu.
cd walking until night, which gathered round
me dark ana dismal. With night came new
voices, the hldeous voices of the nocturnal
swamp the qua-qua of the night heron, the
screech Of the swamp owl, the cry Of the bit
tern, the cl-l-uk Of the great Waterford, the
lnkling Of the bul.-'rog, and the chirp of The
savanna cricket, all fell upon my ear. Sounds
still harsher and more hldeJns were heard
around me--the spashing of the alligator,
and the roaring Of his voce; these reminded
;ne that must not 90 to sleep. 10 sleeP-
| ! burst not have slept for "A single instant.
Even when | lay for a few minutes motion
/ less the dark reptiles came crawling round
me, so close that could have put forth my
hand and touched them.
At intervals, ! sprang 70 my feet, shouted,
swept my gun around, and chased them back
| to the water, into which they botook them
selves with sullen plunge, but with little
| senlbance offear. At each fresh demonslra-
| ton on my part, they showed less alarm,
! until | could no longer drive them, either
with shouts or threatening gestures. They
only letreatcd a few feet, forming an irregu-
| lar circle round me.
Thus hemmed in, became frightened in
turn. ! loaded my gun and fired killed
none. They are imperyous to a bullet, ex-
! cept in the eye or under the fore arm. 1t
was too dark to aim at these parts, and my
shots glanced harnles>ly from the pyramdal
scales Of their bodies The loud report,
! however, and the baz7, frightened them, aud
they fled, TO return again after long inter-
val. was a,lecp when they returned; |
had gone 70 sleep in spite OF my Efforts to
keep awake. ! was startled by the touch OF
| something cold; and, half sttled by the strong
musky odOr that filled the AR, threw out
my arnH. My fingers rested upon an object
slippery and cammy; it was one Of these
monsters one Of gigantic size. lie had
crawled, close alongside Of me, aud was pre-
pairing to make his attack, as | saw that he
was bent in form Of a bow, aud ! knew that
9hese creatures assumed thnt attitude when
about to strike their victim. | was ust IN
time to spring aside, and avoid the stroke Of
his powerful ta !, that the next moment swept
i the ground n Here ! had lain. Again fired, =,
I and hewitlft be rest, once more reIrcated to
tie lake: y
An ihoughts Of going to sleep were at an
end. Not that | fet waketui ON the con-
I.trary, wearied with ny days exertions-tor
| ! bad had a long pull under a tropical sun
4 could have laid down upon The earth, in the
| mea. angn here, and slept in an instant
Nothing but " drea@eeilaiuty Of my peril
~ pit me awake. OneeLgain before morning
ipa' compelled to baf8e with the hidcou.
rPtiles, and chased them away with shot
ifora my gun.