Evening arrived, and Mr. Hanson had not returned. I was now compelled to make another search for something to eat. It being evening, I found plenty of pigeons; for, during the heat of the day, all birds seek the shade in the bush, and remain quiet till the afternoon or early in the morning. I had no vegetable, however, of any description. After some consideration, I fell upon a scheme which succeeded well, and through which I got a sufficient supply of cowries. I possessed a sovereign; and although I knew it was not current here, I sent to the caboceer, requesting him to furnish me with change, as I was now without cowries. At first, he could not comprehend my meaning, but after it was explained to him, he offered to lend me some cowries, which accommodation was all that I required, and I borrowed fifteen strings, valued at one shilling and threepence currency. This supplied me till Mr. Hanson’s return early on the morning of the 13th, when, after remaining two hours, we embarked, and sailed down the lagoon to Ahguay, which place we reached a little after sunset. March 15th.--Mr. Hanson, of Ahguay, myself, and a young Portuguese, went up the lagoon to visit the Greejee market, and also to endeavour to kill an alligator. We only saw two on our passage up; but on our return, in the afternoon, we first observed one of small dimensions, about five feet and a half. It was close to the water’s edge, under the boughs of a low shrub. I fired with a rifle and struck it, but it dropped instantly into the water, and we made no search after it. However, in ten minutes after, we were more fortunate. One of the canoemen observed a large one on the banks several yards from the water, apparently fast asleep. After getting the canoe quite steady, I fired, and shot it through the hardest part of its back; upon which it rushed into the water. After looking about some time, and being about to leave the spot, giving up the search, Mr. Hanson observed at a short distance the enormous head of this monster resting on a broken stake of the fishing-hurdle across the river, the head only above the water. I fired a second shot, which knocked out its eye and carried away part of its skull, upon which it sunk into the water, but immediately rose again to the surface. I then took a sword belonging to the young Portuguese, and ran it into its belly, which was now uppermost, when it again sank to the bottom. Considering it now quite dead, I ordered the canoemen to get into the water and secure it, but all at once we lost it, owing to the muddiness of the water, caused by the men disturbing the bottom. However, it was very fortunate that we did lose it at this time, as it proved that it was only pretending to be dead, for it was perceived twenty yards higher up the stream still strong, although in this mutilated state. We again commenced our hunt, but before we reached it, the old fisherman had lodged two harpoons in its back. It