s that the bongo appeared in one place to cut through them.
The finny tribe must, however, enjoy a hazardous existence, for close to
the spot we counted no less than thirty alligators swimming within a few
hundred yards of our boat, their heads generally appearing only above
water; and we frequently saw the fish leaping above the surface,
evidently endeavouring to escape from their persecutors. On several
occasions we saw the monsters' carcasses lying on the banks, probably
killed by the jaguars. Some were reduced to perfect skeletons, every
particle of flesh having been eaten off by armadilloes or ants.

At one of the villages where we landed, we found a poor mulatto woman in
great tribulation; and on our inquiring what was the matter, she told us
that her daughter had that morning been seized by an alligator, while in
the act of filling her pitcher in the river, and carried away. The rest
of the villagers were also in a state of alarm, as they declared that
the alligators, when once they have tasted human flesh, become
particularly fond of it, and are especially bold and fierce in their
attacks on people approaching their haunts.

"I will try what I can do for you," said the doctor. "I have been sent
opportunely to your relief. Know me as the renowned slayer of caymans!"

The villagers on this gazed on him with great respect, and eagerly
showed him the part of the river frequented by their foe.

Obtaining a bar of iron about a foot and a half in length, the ends
sharply pointed, he fixed it in a float, which he surrounded with a
large mass of putrid pork. This he fastened to a long rope, the part
nearest the bait being of an open texture which the alligator's teeth
could not bite through.

The bait was allowed to float off into the river, while the end of the
rope was secured to the trunk of a tree. Jumbo was then sent to bark
along the bank of the river, in order to attract the monster. Its snout
before long appeared above the surface, when Jumbo, aware of the rush it
would make, scampered off up the steep bank to a safe distance. The
sagacious dog knew well the danger of manoeuvring on ground raised only
a little above the level of the water; for the alligator could easily
land and make its way over it with great speed. The monster,
disappointed in obtaining the delicate morsel Jumbo would have afforded,
at last caught sight of the bait; and making a dash at it, immediately
found its jaws pierced by th