And yet I felt uneasiness, as I watched him. It was an undefined
feeling, and I could assign no reason for it--beyond the fact that the
mulatto was a bad fellow, and I knew him to be capable of almost any
wickedness. But if his design was a wicked one, what evil could he
effect with the alligator? No one would fear the reptile upon dry
ground?--it could hurt no one?
Thus I reflected, and still did I feel some indefinite apprehensions.
But for this feeling I should have given over observing his movements,
and turned my attention to the herd of deer--which I now perceived
approaching up the savanna, and coming close to my place of concealment.
I resisted the temptation, and continued to watch the mulatto a little
longer.
I was not kept much longer in suspense. He had now arrived upon the
outer edge of the hommock, which he did not enter. I saw him turn round
the thicket, and keep on towards the orangery. There was a wicket at
this corner which he passed through, leaving the gate open behind him.
At short intervals, he still caused the dog to utter its involuntary
howlings.
It no longer needed to cry loudly, for the alligator was now close in
the rear.
I obtained a full view of the monster as it passed under my position.
It was not one of the largest, though it was several yards in length.
There are some that measure more than a statute pole. This one was full
twelve feet, from its snout to the extremity of its tail. It clutched
the ground with its broad webbed feet as it crawled forward. Its
corrugated skin of bluish brown colour was coated with slippery mucus,
that glittered under the sun as it moved; and large masses of the
swamp-slime rested in the concavities between its rhomboid scales. It
seemed greatly excited; and whenever it heard the voice of the dog,
exhibited fresh symptoms of rage. It would erect itself upon its
muscular arms, raise its head aloft--as if to get a view of the prey--
lash its plaited tail into the air, and swell its body almost to double
its natural dimensions. At the same time, it emitted loud noises from
its throat and nostrils, that resembled the rumbling of distant thunder,
and its musky smell filled the air with a sickening effluvium. A more
monstrous creature it would be impossible to conceive. Even the fabled
dragon could not have been more horrible to behold.
Without stopping, it dragged its long body through the gate, still
following the direction of the noise. The leaves of the evergreens
intervened, and hid the hideous reptile from my sight.
I turned my face in the opposite direction--towards the house--to watch
the further movements of the mulatto. From my position, I commanded a
view of the tank, and could see nearly all around it. The inner side
was especially under my view, as it lay opposite, and could only be
approached through the orangery.
Between the grove and the edge of the great basin, was an open space.
Here there was an artificial pond only a few yards in width, and with a
little water at the bottom, which was supplied by means of a pump, from
the main reservoir. This pond, or rather enclosure, was the
"turtle-crawl," a place in which turtle were fed and kept, to be ready
at all times for the table. My father still continued his habits of
Virginian hospitality; and in Florida these aldermanic delicacies are
easily obtained.
The embankment of this turtle-crawl formed the direct path to the
water-basin; and as I turned, I saw Yellow Jake upon it, and just
approaching the pond. He still carried the cur in his arms; I saw that
he was causing it to utter a continuous howling.
On reaching the steps, that led down, he paused a moment, and looked
back. I noticed that he looked back in both ways--first towards the
house, and then, with a satisfied air, in the direction whence he had
come. No doubt he saw the alligator close at hand; for, without further
hesitation, he flung the puppy far out into the water; and then,
retreating along the embankment of the turtle-crawl, he entered among
the orange-trees, and was out of sight.
The whelp, thus suddenly plunged into the cool tank, kept up a constant
howling, at the same time beating the water violently with its feet, in
the endeavour to keep itself afloat.
Its struggles were of short duration. The alligator, now guided by the
well-known noise of moving water, as well as the cries of the dog,
advanced rapidly to the edge; and without hesitating a moment, sprang
forward into the pond. With the rapidity of an arrow, it darted out to
the centre; and, seizing the victim between its bony jaws, dived
instantaneously under the surface.
I could for some time trace its monstrous form far down in the
diaphanous water; but guided by instinct, it soon entered one of the
deep wells, amidst the darkness of which it sank out of sight.