AN ALLIGATOR HUNT--REMARKABLE EXPLOSIONS--THE RAINY SEASON USHERED IN BY AN AWFUL RESURRECTION At sunrise an expressive shout in Portuguese set the black slaves on their feet; and, after a hasty breakfast of alligator-tail and farina, they commenced operations.

Alligator-tail is by no means bad food, and after the first mouthful,--taken with hesitation and swallowed with difficulty,--Martin and Barney both pronounced it "capital." Sambo, who had cooked the delicate morsel, and stood watching them, smacked his lips and added, "Fuss rate." All being now ready for the hunt, a number of Negroes entered the water, which was nowhere very deep, with long poles in their hands.
This appeared to Martin and Barney a very reckless and dangerous thing to do, as no doubt it was.

Nevertheless accidents, they were told, very rarely happened.
Sambo, who was the overseer of the party, was the first to dash up to the middle in the water.

"Hi," exclaimed that dingy individual, making a torrent of remarks in Portuguese, while he darted his long pole hither and thither; then, observing that Martin and Barney were gazing at him open mouthed, he shouted, "Look out, boys! here Jim comes! Take care, ole feller, or he jump right down you' throat! hi-i-i!" As he spoke, a large alligator, having been rudely stirred up from his muddy bed, floundered on the surface of the lake and Sambo instantly gave it a thump over the back and a blow under the ribs; which had the effect of driving it in the direction of the shore.

Here a number of Negroes were ready for him; and the moment he came within reach, a coil of rope with a noose on the end of it, called a lasso, was adroitly thrown over the reptile's head: ten or twelve men then hauled the lasso and dragged it ashore amid shouts of triumph.