Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-05-04

N 4h'SA'"iH Il SlhauS " III iSOtt ouOul-
ed, 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
demonstration on my part, they showed
less alarm until l could no longer drive
them, either with shout or threatening ges-
lures. They only ietreated few feet,
forming an Irregular circle round me.
Nv - i.., a h----- r
in turn. l loaded my gun, and fired, i
killed none. They are imperious to bull
let, except in the eye or under the forearm.
1t was too dark to aim at those parts and
and my shots glanced harmlessly from the
pyramidal scales Of their bodies. The
loud report, however, and the blaze fright
ened them, and they fled, to return again
after long interval. i was asleep when
they returned; ! had gone to sleep in spite
OF my efforts tokeep awake. was start
ell by the touch Of some hing cold; and
half stifled by the strong musky odor that
filled the air, | threw out my arms. Ny
fingers rested upon an object slippery and
clammy; it was one Of these monsters one
of gigantic size. lie had crawled close
alongside me, and was preparing to make
his attack, as | saw that he was bent in
the form OF a bow, and knew that these
creatures assumed that attitude when they
strike their victim. | was just in time to
spring aside and avoid the stroke of his
powerful tail, that the next moment swept
the ground where | had lain. Again fir
cd and he, with the rest, once more retreat
cd to the lake.
All thoughts of going to sleep were at
an end. Not that l felt wakeful on the
contrary, wearicd with my days cxcrtion
for | had a long pull under a tropical sun
could have lain down upon the earth; in
themud, anywhere, and slept in an instant
Nothing but the dread certainty ofmy per
il kept me awake. One again before
morning | was compelled to battle with
the hideous reptiles, and chased them away
with shot from my gun.
Morning came at length, but with no
change in my pcrilous position. The light
ouly showed me my sland'prison, but re-
vealed no way Of escape from it. Indeed
the change could not be called for the bet
ter, for the felvid rays of an almost verti.
cal sun poured down upon me until my
skin bliSteled. was already speckIed by
the bites of a thousand swamp flies and
mosquitoes that all night had preyed up
on me. There was not a cloud in the
heavens to shade me; and the sunbeams
smotc the surface of the dead bayond with
double intensity.
| Towards evening I began to hunger. no
wonder at that l had not eaten since
leaving the village settlement. 10 as
suage thirst, drank the water Of the lake
turbid and Shiny as it was. | drank it in
large quantities. for it was hot, and only
moistcned my palate without quenching
the craving Of my appetite. OF water
there was enough. | hal more to fear
from want of food What could cat?
The Ibis. But how to cook it? There was
nothing whcrewith to make 4 firc-not a
stick. No matter for that. Cooking is a
modern invention, a luxury for pampedcd
palates Idivested the ibis of its brilliant
plumage, and ate it raw. | spoiled my
specimen, but at the time there was little
thought Of that. There was not much of
the naturalists LEFT in me. | anathematiz-
ed the hour l had ever promised to pro-
cure the bird; | wished my friend up to
his neck in swamp. The ibis did not
weigh above three pounds, bones and all
1t served me for second II cal, break
fast; but at this dgieuner s1ns fourcAehe !
picked the bones.
What next? Starve? No--not yet
In the battles l had with the allisators
during the second night, one Of them had
received a shot that proved mortal. The
hideous, carcass Of the reptile lay dead up
on the beach. | need not starve, L could
eat that. Such were my reflections. ]
could bring myselfto touch the musk NOR.
tai. Two days mere fasting conquered
my squcamishncss, l drew out my knit,
cut steak from the alliSator's tail, and
ate it-not the one l had first killed; but a
second; the other was now putrid, rapidly
decomposing under the hot sun-its odol
filled the iSlct.
The stencil had grown intoleratc. The
air was not ttirring otherwise 7 might
have Stunned it by otherwise keeping
windward. The whole atmosphere Of the
islet, as well large circle round it, was
impregnated with the fearful ctfluvium.--
| could bear it no longer With the all
of my gun, | pushed the half decompose
carcass into the lake Perhaps the cur.
rent might carry it away. 1t did; [ had
the satisfaction to sec it float oft. Why
did the body of the alligator float? 1t wa,
swollen, inflated with gases Ha!
An idea shot suddenly through my
mind--one of these brilliant ideas, the
children ofnecess.ty. ! thought Of the
floating alligator, of its intestines-what
if l inflated them? Yes, yes! huoys an
bladders, floats are life preservers! that
was the thought / would open the ALI.
gators, make buoy of their intestincs,
and that would bear me from the islet.--
/ did not loose moments time; was
full f 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. IdraggcI him on the beach
with my knife | laid open his entrails.--
Few they were, but enough for my pur.
poss. A plume quill from the wing OF tht
i This served me for a blow nine. saw thu