ited strength to get the canoe up to
the spot, when, turning it up, we stopped the leaks in the best way we
could. Having done so, we launched it, and found that it floated very
well. The black suggested that we should supply ourselves with a
quantity of pitch-pine-torches, which we would find useful should we
wish to proceed by night, or to assist in keeping alligators and wild
beasts at a distance. He and Tim soon procured an ample supply. As it
was by this time almost dark, and too late to start, we agreed to sleep
in the canoe alongside the bank. We proposed to have a fire burning all
night, to keep the alligators at bay. The black declared there was no
risk; but Tim and I, not being so confident on that point, resolved to
keep watch, rather than trust to our black friend. As soon as supper
was served, he threw himself down in the bottom of the canoe, and was
soon fast asleep. It was providential that we did keep watch; for
scarcely an hour had passed when a "'gator," as Tim called it, swimming
down the stream, was attracted by the smell of the remains of our
supper, and, in spite of the fire, landed on the opposite side of the
bank to which we were secured. Had we been all asleep, he would very
likely have snapped up one of us. We shouted at the top of our voices,
and threw fire-brands at his ugly face, which compelled him to retreat
to his native element. He and his relatives kept up a horrible roar for
several hours. We could hear their jaws clashing together as they
snapped at their prey. Our shouts awoke the black, who, jumping up,
very nearly tumbled overboard before he knew where he was.

"De 'gators no come here," he said, when we told him what had made us
cry out.

"Don't they, my boy!" exclaimed Tim; "see! what's that?"

At this moment a huge alligator shoved his snout above the surface,
eyeing the canoe as if he should like to snap up it and us together.
The black after this did not sleep as soundly as before; and Tim and I
agreed that if the monsters abounded all down the river as they did near
its head-waters, we should have a wakeful time of it.

Morning, however, came at last. Our guide was as anxious to return home
as we were to proceed on our voyage. He again charged us before parting
not to mention having met with him and his companions, thus convincing
us of what we had before suspected, that they were runaway slaves. We
should have been very ungrateful had we not given him the