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as often as he hears them behind him, wheels round and defends himself as before; and thus fights his way through. Negroes who venture into the river to bathe in summer, have frequently been attacked, and sometimes destroyed. It is also a singular fact, that tame ducks and geese, though they frequent these rivers and ponds in winter, yet, as soon as the warm weather commences, entirely abandon such places. The alligator is generally detested by the inhabitants, and various modes are practised to destroy him. A hunting party is formed of 30 or 40 persons, well armed with guns and rifles, who separate into two bodies, and scour the river, lagoons, and banks, for alligators. Those who have no dogs imitate their howling, and thus decoy the alligators near to the boat, while another lays them lifeless with the rifle. In this manner 200 of these animals have been killed in one excursion; that party which had killed the greatest number, being entitled to a supper or treat from the less successful one. Sometimes they prepare a small piece of hard pitch pine, of about 10 or 12 inches long, sharpen it at both ends and notch it at the middle, where they fasten a line. of small rope, and run this sharpened stick into a small piece of pork ; this being thrown overboard is soon swallowed by the alligator, and the rope being pulled the same moment, the stick is thrown at right angles across the monster's throat, who, unable to close its jaws, is led to the shore with very little exertion, to the great diversion of the company.

But the most singular mode of taking and destroying this formidable animal, and which may be depended on as fact, is as follows: In the month of February, when the weather begins to get a little warm, and before the alligators emerge from their winter quarters, a party of 8 or 10 persons provide themselves with a long rope, about three quarters of an inch in diameter, furnished at one extremity with a running noose. Having arrived at that part of the bank of the river under which they suspect the alligators are lying, one of the most resolute and able divers undresses himself, and goes down to reconnoitre. The winter retreats of the alligators are large roomy excavations in the bank, at the depth of 10, 12, and even 15 feet under water, frequently protected by projecting roots of enormous cypress trees. In one of these dens the diver sometimes finds 6 or 8 large alligators, with numbers of mud turtles, dozing in a listless though not torpid state; for though they appear sensible to what is about them, yet on these occasions they are not easily disturbed. The diver having noted their number and situations, ascends to draw breath; and after a little, redescends, taking with him that end of the rope which has the running noose. Approaching the largest and most formidable one, he slides the noose gently over the tail, hind feet, and body, up to the fore legs, the animal all this time remaining quite passive. Sometimes, if they lie at a great depth, the diver is obliged

to rise several times for breath, before he can complete his purpose; he then draws the noose as tight as he safely dare, and ascends to the surface to assist those on shore in dragging the monster, struggling, flouncing, and plunging, to dry land, where with clubs, pitchforks, &c. they torment him awhile, and then put him to death. All these means, however, have availed little to lessen their numbers; and the most effectual method to exterminate them altogether, appears to be by destroying their nests and eggs. The most interesting and circumstantial description of these, as well as of the alligator itself, I find thus detailed by Bar

tram :

"On turning a point or projection of the river bank," says this traveller, ས ་ "at once I beheld a great number of hillocks, or small pyramids resembling haycocks, ranged like an encampment along the banks; they stood fifteen or twenty yards distant from the water, on a high marsh, about four feet per. pendicular above the water; I knew them to be the nests of the crocodile, having had a description of them before, and now expected a furious and general attack, as I saw several large ones swimming abreast of these buildings. These nests being so great a curiosity to me, I was determined, at all events, immediately to land and examine them. Accordingly I ran my bark on shore at one of their landing places, which was a sort of neck or little dock, from which ascended a sloping path or road up to the edge of the meadow, where these nests were. Most of them were deserted, and the great thick whitish eggshells lay broken and scattered upon the ground round about them.

"The nests or hillocks are of the form of an obtuse cone, four feet high, and four or five feet in diameter at their bases; they are constructed with mud, grass, and herbage; at first they lay a floor of this kind of tempered mortar on the ground, upon which they deposit a layer of eggs, and upon this a stratum of mortar seven or eight inches in thickness, and then another layer of eggs; and in this manner one stratum upon another nearly to the top. I believe they commonly lay from one to two hundred eggs in a nest: these are hatched, I suppose, by the heat of the sun; and perhaps the vegetable sub. stances mixed with the earth, being acted upon by the sun, may cause a small degree of fermentation, and so increase the heat in these hillocks. The ground for several acres about these nests showed evident marks of a continual resort of alligators; the grass was every where beaten down, hardly a blade or straw was left standing; whereas all about, at a distance, it was five or six feet high, and as thick as it could grow together. The female, as I imagine, carefully watches her own nest of eggs until they are all hatched; or perhaps while she is attending her own brood she takes under care and protection as many as she can get at one time, either from her own particular nest or others; but certain it is that the young are not left to shift for themselves, having had frequent opportunities of seeing the female alligator leading about the shores her train of young ones, just as a hen does her brood

of chickens; and she is equally assiduous and courageous in defending the young which are under her care, and providing for their subsistence; and when she is basking upon the warm banks, with her brood around her, you may hear the young ones continually whining and barking like young puppies; I believe but few of a brood live to the years of full growth and magnitude, as the old feed on the young as long as they can make prey of them.

"The alligator, when full grown, is a very large and terrible creature, and of prodigious strength, activity, and swiftness in the water. I have seen them 20 feet in length, and some are said to be 22 or 23 feet long; their body is as large as that of a horse; their shape exactly that of a lizard, except the tail, which is flat or cuneiform, being compressed on each side, and gradually diminishing from the abdomen to the extremity, which, with the whole body, is covered with horny plates or squamæ, impenetrable, when on the body of the live animal even to a rifle ball, except about their head, and just behind their fore legs or arms, where it is said they are only vulnerable. The head of a full grown one is about three feet, and the mouth opens nearly the same length; the eyes are small in proportion, and seem sunk deep in the head, by means of the prominency of the brows; the nostrils are large, inflated, and prominent on the top, so that the head in the water resembles, at a distance, a great chunk of wood floating about. Only the upper jaw moves, which they raise almost perpendicular, so as to form a right angle with the lower one. In the fore part of the upper jaw on each side, just under the nostrils, are two very large, thick, strong teeth or tusks, not very sharp, but rather the shape of a cone; these are as white as the finest polished ivory, and are not covered by any skin or lips, and always in sight, which gives the creature a frightful appearance; in the lower jaw are holes opposite to these teeth, to receive them; when they clap their jaws together it causes a surprising noise, like that which is made by forcing a heavy plank upon the ground, and may be heard at a great distance. But what is yet more surprising to a stranger, is, the incredible loud and terrifying roar which they are capable of making, especially in the spring season, their breeding time. It most resembles very heavy distant thunder, appearing actually to cause the earth to tremble.

"An old champion, who is perhaps absolute sovereign of a little lake ar lagoon (when fifty less than himself are obliged to content themselves with swelling and roaring in little coves round about) darts forth from the reedy coverts, all at once, on the surface of the waters, in a right line; at first seemingly as rapid as lightning, but gradually more slowly until he arrives at the centre of the lake, when he stops; he now swells himself by drawing in wind and water through his mouth, which causes a loud sonorous rattling in the throat for near a minute; but it is immediately forced out again through his mouth and nostrils with a loud noise, while he brandishes his tail in the air, and the vapour ascends from his nostrils like smoke. At other times, when swoln to an extent ready to burst, his head and tail lifted up, he spins or twirls rapidly round on the surface of the water. He acts his part like

an Indian chief, when rehearsing his feats of war, and then retiring, the exhibition is continued by others who dare to step forth and strive to excel each other to gain the attention of the favourite female."

W.

THE MONITOR No. II.-FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

TURNPIKE ROADS.

It is a subject of the most serious regret to every friend of this country, that turnpike stock generally averages an income below legal interest, and less than most of our other public stocks. This threatens to extinguish, or at least very materially to impair the spirit that has existed in favour of those useful undertakings, turnpikes. In a country affording such an endless variety of modes of employing money advantageously, it would be insanity to expect that any very considerable number of our citizens would devote the large sums necessary to establish these roads, unless there were a reasonable prospect of advantage from them.

The unproductiveness of turnpike stock arises from the very great expense originally incurred in the formation of the roads, and from the constant large disbursements requisite to keep them in repair. As to the first item, although I believe there might generally be great savings made, yet I shall for the present wave any examination of that part of the business, and confine myself wholly to the repairs.

I venture to suggest a plan by which this grand object might be effected, at, probably, less than half the present expense. Perhaps I deceive myself, as most projectors do, and overrate the advantages of my scheme. Of this the public will judge.

Although it is very unfashionable to cite proverbs, yet I cannot resist the temptation to take one as my text. It is homely and housewifely, but contains a vast deal of sound sense-A stitch in time saves nine. This is applicable to all human affairs, and to none more than the present subject of discussion.

According to the prevailing system, when a road is finished, all concern of it is abandoned, till it has become so completely damaged, as to call loudly for the most expensive repairs. This is the radical error, which creates a vortex to swallow up so large a proportion of the tolls.

Instead of this wretched mode, I propose that the roads be divided among a certain number of persons, hired at moderate wages, whose duty it shall be to examine their parts respectively every day, and to repair any spot that may require it, as soon as it is damaged, though ever so slightly.

I am not prepared to say what extent of a road each individual might be able to keep in good order. But I am strongly inclined to believe, if there were deposits of stone and gravel placed at suitable distances, that an industrious man, provided with a cart, a yoke of oxen, a rolling stone, and all the other necessary apparatus, would find little difficulty in attending to eight or ten miles. This, however, is a point on which experience alone can determine correctly.

That this management would produce a vast saving to the parties concerned, and render turnpiking much more lucrative, I feel the fullest confidence.

The neglect of the side or summer roads, is another capital error. They can be preserved in good order, or repaired, at a much less expense than the turnpikes. And it is so much more pleasant to travel on them, and so much less destructive to horses' shoes, as well as to the tire of wheels, that when they are fit for travelling, they are almost exclusively used.

During eight months of the year, the summer roads might be kept almost constantly in repair, at a very small expense. This would very much diminish the use, and consequently the destruction of the turnpike. The summer road is very soon damaged. Four or five carriages of burden passing immediately after or during a heavy fall of rain, make a rut, wherein the rain lodges. It is constantly increasing till the road becomes somewhat impassable. It is then shunned, and the turnpike alone is travelled. Hence it is not an extravagant calculation to suppose that the expense of keeping the turnpike in repair in certain places, where the summer road is generally bad, is a third more than would be necessary under proper regulations.

If the summer roads be easily damaged, they are likewise, as I have said, easily mended. A little labour, seasonably applied, would, after the rain has been evaporated, repair even the worst places. It should be the duty of the persons of whom I recommend the appointment, to pay prompt attention to these roads as soon as the weather clears up; to fill up all ruts; and to run the rolling stone over the whole, so as to invite the travellers back to the use of them. This is the stitch in time.

One word more. I am informed by men of experience and skill, that when the stones used in making turnpikes are of different degrees of hardness, they wear each other out, and the road is not by any means so durable, as when they are all of the same kind.

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