owing, and had tolerable lodgings.

About noon, one day, travelling with great glee, we met an adventure
which very much daunted me, and had almost put a stop to my hopes of
ever getting where I intended. We came to a great river whose name I
have now forgot, near a league over, but full, and especially about
the shores, of large trees that had fallen from the mountains and been
rolled down with the floods, and lodged there in a shocking manner. This
river, Glanlepze told me, we must pass: for my part, I shrunk at the
sight of it, and told him if he could get over, I would not desire to
prevent his meeting with his family; but as for my share, I had rather
take my chance in the woods on this side than plunge myself into such
a stream only for the sake of drowning. "Oh!" says Glanlepze, "then you
can't swim?"--"No," says I; "there's my misfortune."--"Well," says the
kind Glanlepze, "be of good heart; I'll have you over." He then bade me
go cut an armful of the tallest of the reeds that grew there near the
shore, whilst he pulled up another where he then was, and bring them to
him. The side of the river sloped for a good way with an easy descent,
so that it was very shallow where the reeds grew, and they stood very
close together upon a large compass of ground. I had no sooner entered
the reeds a few yards, to cut some of the longest, but (being about
knee-deep in the water and mud, and every step raising my feet very high
to keep them clear of the roots, which were matted together) I thought
I had trod upon a trunk of one of the trees, of which, as I said, there
was such plenty thereabouts; and raising my other foot to get that also
upon the tree, as I fancied it, I found it move along with me; upon
which I roared out, when Glanlepze, who was not far from me, imagining
what was the matter, cried out, "Leap off, and run to shore to the
right!" I knew not yet what was the case, but did what I was bid, and
gained the shore. Looking back, I perceived the reeds shake and
rustle all the way to the shore, by degrees after me. I was terribly
frightened, and ran to Glanlepze, who then told me the danger I had
escaped, and that what I took for a tree was certainly a large alligator
or crocodile.

My blood ran chill within me at hearing the name of such a dangerous
creature; but he had no sooner told me what it was, than out came
the most hideous monster I had ever seen. Glanlepze ran to secure the
muletto; and then taking the cor