The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-09-04

had crawlcd close along side me, and was
preparing TO mako his attack, as l saw that
he was bent in tho form of bow, and I
knew that these creatures assumed that at
titudc when about to strike their victm.-
| was just i'll timo to spring aside and avoid
the stroke OF his powerful tail, that tho
next moment swept the ground where l
had lain. Again L fired, and he with tho
rest, once more retrcatcd to the lake.
All thoughts Of going to sleep were at an
end. Notthat felt wakcful OH the contrary,
wearicd with my days cxcrtions-for had
had long pull under tropical SUM-
could have laid down upon tho earth, in
the mud, anywhere, and slept in an instant.
Nothing but tho dread certainty of my
peril kept me awake. Once again before
morning, l was compelled to battle with
the hidcous reptiles, and chased them away
with Il shot from my gun.
Morning came at length, but with no
change i'll my periIvus position. The light
only showed me my island prison, but re-
vcalcd no way Of escape from it. Indeed,
the change could not be called for the bet
ter, for the lcrvid rays Of an almost vertical
sun poured down upon nc until my skin
almost Llistered. WAS already spccklod
10y tho bites Of thousand swamp flies and
mosquitoes that all night had prcycd upon
Inc. There was not Il cloud in tic heavens
to shade me; and the sunbcans smotc the
surface of the dead bayou with double
intensity.
Towards evening I began to hunger :;
no wonder ut that. had no: eaten since
leaving tho village settlement. To as
suasc thirst, | drank the water of the lake,
turbid and Shiny as it was, drank it in large
quantities, for it was hot, and only mois-
tened my palate without 4ncncllins tho
cravings Of my appetite. OF water there
was enough; had moro fear from want
Of food. What could cat? The 1bis.-
But how TO cook it? There was nothing
wic:owitil to make Il iirc---iicj n stick
No matter for that Cooking is modern
invention, a luxury for pampercd pala.cs.-
divcstcd the Ibis of its brilliant plumagc,
and atc it raw. spoiled my specimen,
bit ut tho time there WIS little thought of
that. There was not much Of the naturalist
left in me. l mathematical the hour
had ever promised to procure the Bird
l wished my friend up to his neck in a
swamp. The Ibis did not weigh three
pounds, bones and all. 1t served me Tor
Il second meal, breakfast but at this
dGc"''er Saas joarchcttc picked the
bones.
What next? Starvc? No-not yeti
In the battles had had with the allig;tors
during the second night, one of them had
received Il shot that proved mortal. The
hidcous carcass Of the reptile lay dead upon
The beach. need not starvc; could cat
that. Such were my reflections. l must
hunger, though, before could bring my
self To touch the musLy morscl. Two days
more fasting conquered my squcamisl,ncss,
/ drew out my knife, cut Il steak from the
allgator's tail and ate it-not the one
had first killed, but u second the other
was now putrid, rapidly decomposing un-
der the hot sun-its odor filled the islet.
Tho stencil had grown intolerablc.-
There was not a breath Of air stirring
otherwise I might have Stunned it by
keeping to windward. Tho whole atmos-
phero of tho islct, as well as largo circle
round it, was imprcgnated with the fearful
cflluvium. | could bear it no longcr.-
With tho aid Of my gun I pushed the
half decomposed carcass into the lake.
Perhaps the current might carry it away.
1t did; had the satisfaction to SEQ it float
oil. This circumstance led me into train
Of reflections. Why did the body of the
alligator tloat9 1t was swollen, inflated
with gases. Ia!
An idea shot through my mind-ono Of
these brilliant IDEAS, the children of neces.
sity. I thought of tho floating alligator,
us lntCstncs-wlIat II L inflated them 3
Yes, yes! buoys and bladdcrs, floats and
lifo prescrvcrs That was the thought. I
would open tho alligators, and mako buoy
Of their intcstincs, that would bear INC from
the islct!
l did not loso moments time; was
full of energy; hope had given mo new
life. My gun was loaded-a huge croco-
die that swan near tho shore received tho
shot in his eye. dragged him on tho
beach; will, my knife I laid open his en-
trails. Few they were, but enough for my
purpose. A plume quill from the wing of
tho Ibis served mo for blow-pipc. saw
tho bladder-like skin expand, until was
surrounded by objects like great sausagcs.
These wcro tied toocther. and fastenn; ~