Volume II Part 5 (1/2)

Besides the sandstone of which the peak is composed, I found a kind of slate on the north-west side Several banks showed the at that tih the river was a reat part of the day was occupied in collecting ht near the foot of Curiosity Peak On the grassy flat opposite, I killed five white ibises at a shot

At sunset, I noticed large flocks of a rather s froain in the ain this night

ENCOUNTER AN ALLIGATOR

Nove early, we had just passed all the shoals in the neighbourhood of Curiosity Peak, and entered a narrow part of the river, when the leadsator co down the strearounded the boat on the right bank to keep her steady, and waited anxiously for the monster's approach It will readily be believed, that every eye was fixed upon hilassy surface of the water, and quite unconscious of the fate that ihty yards off, only the flat crown of his head, and the partly serrated ridge along his back, appearing in sight It was a moment of deep excitement for us all, and everyone held his breath in suspense as I pointed un at the brute's head

EFFECT OF A SHOT

I felt confident of hittingfrom the little effect I had produced on former occasions, scarcely dreamt of the execution my ball actually did It happened that to-day I was in excellent practice, and had just hit a large wild dog, a long shot, round; but this beast is as tenacious of life as a cat, and instead of falling dead, he limped off and escaped But to resume: I fired, and never heard a ball strike with , feet upper hiht us alongside of the monster, as he floated on the surface of the streas; and as we knew that he was not dead, but only stunned, this was rather a nervous operation I noticed indeed a hesitation a lest our prize should escape, I seized the line and s, e proceeded to the shore, dragging hins of reviving aniht regain his activity, we dropped hi about heso, e shot at his head, thea yard froht stupor of the intellectual faculties, evinced by a momentary state of quiescence

THE ALLIGATOR ON Shore

On reaching the shore, the ator up on the dry land, and began to pull away vigorously It was a comic scene to witness They expected to have so their task; but suddenly they found the rope slacken, and looking round beheld the alligator walking up after them of his own accord, faster than was pleasant In their haste, endeavouring to keep the rope taut, one fellow tripped up; and it was for a moment a question whether he would not be snapped in two; the feeling of alarave way to a sense of the ludicrous, at beholding the athered hiator's way I thought it now high time to take decisive measures, and with another shot altered the intentions of the monster, who endeavoured to back towards the water

Perhaps if he had been further away froht have been tempted to try Waterton's experiment

It was not before he had received six balls in the head, that he consented to be killed During the operation he exhibited so his anticit with a loud snap, which made us shudder, and forcibly recalled tomy body eather a good idea of their size fro will be shown in the description acco The view annexed represents the ator received the first shot on shore; the singular character of Sea Range is also shown, and the s the appearance of sth of Alligator, 15 feet From base of head to extreme of nose 2 feet 2 inches Across the base of head, 2 feet Length of lower jaw, 2 feet

Teeth in both jaws, vary in size, and are variously disposed, as will be seen above; in upper jaw on each side of maxillary bone, 18, 2 incisors

Ditto in lower jaw, 15, 2 incisors The largest teeth are 1 1/2 inch in length The ter incisors are stronger and longer than the upper, and project through two holes in front part of upper jaw

Breadth across the animal, from extreme of one fore foot, across the shoulders to the other side, 5 feet 2 inches The fore feet have each five perfect toes; the three inner or first, have long horny nails, slightly curved; the two outer toes have no nails, nor are they webbed

The third and fourth toes are deeply webbed, allowing a wide space between them, which is apparent even in their passive state The hind feet have four long toes; the first two are webbed as far as the first joint, and the others are strongly webbed to the apex of last joint, the last or outer toe has no nail

Froe runs up about midway of it, and there splits into two branches, which pass up on each side of the spine over the back, as far as the shoulders, gradually diht to their tere runs down from the nape of the neck over the spinous processes of the vertebrae (being fira to its termination likewise

CONTENTS OF ITS STOMACH

All the alligator's stomach contained was about fourteen pounds of pebbles, so four inches in dia thea little of the best part of the flesh for eating, proceeded on our way

(Footnote The writer supped off alligator steaks, and informs the reader that the meat is by no means bad, and has a white appearance like veal)

The river, as I have already said, ran along the base of Sea Range for some distance, when it turned off across the plain in a south-east direction

BANKS OF THE VICTORIA

The high land quite overlooked the stream, and enhanced the picturesque effect of the trees that rose in rich green masses on the banks, which were here only about half a mile apart The depth, however, o fathoms, double what it had been for some distance before We had now fairly turned our backs on Sea Range, and were crossing the plains in a south-east direction On the part of the Victoria we had passed were a fehite ducks, with black or very dark broings I noticed that the bill and legs were of a very pale pink, and they had a pale yellow eye

They were evidently the saton

They were scarce and not aroos were nu the day were to be seen in nue I added one to our stock of fresh provisions, which with alligator steaks and ducks, gave us a good supply to share with the other boats We na us nine eneral width of a quarter of a mile, and a depth of two and three fatho a low line of cliffs six feet high, presenting to our view several feet of brown soil, resting on a coeneral character of this extensive plain; and froums, that are thinly scattered over it, we may infer that it is land of recent for Reach, we passed a sandy head, where the tide rises froured by Mr Gould, as Tadorna radjah)