The Abipones were delighted to see the little creatures playing on the grass, or striving together with gaping mouths and erected bodies. I had a young dog, which, as was natural to his age, was extremely playful. He imprudently rushed barking upon the crocodiles, when one of them laid hold of his nostrils with its very sharp teeth. Unable by any means to get rid of this disagreeable appendage, he at length came to me and implored my assistance, when by the hands of the by-standing Abipones, who were laughing heartily at the adventure, the pertinacious crocodile was torn from his nose. It was evident that these beasts were extremely quick of hearing, for they heard the slightest noises, such as would escape human ears—perceived thunder from a cloud at a great distance below the horizon, and acquainted me with the circumstance by repeatedly murmuring ù ù ù ù. At seven months of age, when scarce a span long, they were killed by the cold, in a journey of one and twenty days, taken with the Spanish soldiers, to change the situation of the colony. A sharp frost, for it was the winter season, killed these pupils of mine. Had they enjoyed their natural liberty and food, I have no doubt they would have grown more in so many months. Much has been written concerning the ferocity of crocodiles towards mankind. I contradict no one. But it would be wronging the Paraguayrian crocodiles to complain of them, for during the two and twenty years of my residence in that country, I never heard of a single creature's being killed or hurt by a crocodile. Almost all the Abipones, men, women, boys and girls, daily cooled themselves during the heat of the sun, by bathing in rivers, pools, streams and lakes, all which are frequented by crocodiles; yet no one ever received any injury from these animals, no one suspecting the danger of such a thing. They are generally scared away by the noise which the Indians make in swimming, especially the black ones; for the red are considered more bold and more dangerous by the Abipones. But I myself have found that crocodiles of any colour, whether in the water or on dry land, are perfectly harmless. Crossing rivers in a bull's hide, or low boat, I have often seen crocodiles swimming past, with erected heads, sparkling eyes, and gaping mouths; but knowing them to be harmless, I beheld them with the utmost unconcern. In the town of the Rosary, scarce a gun-shot from my house, there was a pool swarming with crocodiles. The town of St. Joachim was surrounded with lakes. About sun-set we often went out to breathe the fresh air, and in our walk always met with crocodiles of every age and species, but never received any injury from them, though unarmed, and perhaps on that account more safe: for it is my opinion that crocodiles have been injurious chiefly to those by whom they have been themselves injured. They spare those that spare them. I do not in the least wonder