I speak feelingly, having had painful experience of the ways of the terrible saurian during my visits to one of the few places where sailors are brought into contact with him. Tonala River, which empties itself into the Gulf12 of Mexico, has a sinister13 notoriety, owing to the number of alligators14 with which it is infested15; and through the proverbial carelessness of seamen and their ignorance of the language spoken by the people ashore17, many an unrecorded tragedy has occurred there to members of the crews of vessels18 loading mahogany in the river. Like all the[102] streams which debouch19 into that Western Mediterranean20, Tonala River has a bar across its mouth, but, unlike most of them, there is occasionally water upon the bar deep enough to permit vessels of twelve or thirteen feet draught21 to enter with safety. And as the embarkation22 of mahogany in the open roadstead is a series of hair-breadth escapes from death on the part of the crew and attended by much damage to the ship, it is easy to understand why the navigability of Tonala Bar is highly valued by shipmasters fortunate enough to be chartered thither23, since it permits them to take in a goodly portion of their cargo24 in comparative comfort. Against this benefit, however, is to be set off a long list of disadvantages, not the least of which are the swarms25 of winged vermin that joyfully26 pass the short space between ship and river-bank, scenting27 fresh blood. The idea of there being any danger in the river itself, however, rarely occurs to a seaman28 until he sees, some day, as he listlessly gazes overside at the turbid29 current silently sweeping30 seaward, a dead log floating deep, just awash in fact. And as he watches it with unspeculating eyes, one end of it will slowly be upreared just a little and the hideous31 head of an alligator, with its cold, dead-looking eyes, sleepily half unclosed, is revealed. Just a ripple32 and the thing has gone, sunk stone-like, but with every faculty33 alert, that rugged34 ironclad exterior35 giving no hint to the uninitiated of the potentialities for mischief36, swift and supple37, therein contained.
In spite of having read much about these creatures[103] and their habits, I confess to having been very sceptical as to their agility38 until I was enlightened in such a startling manner that the memory of that scene is branded upon my mind. I was strolling along the smooth sandy bank of the river opposite the straggling rows of huts we called the town one lovely Sunday morning, all eyes and ears for anything interesting. After about an hour’s walk my legs, unaccustomed to such exercise, begged off for a little, and seeing a stranded39 tree-trunk lying on the beach some little distance ahead, I made towards it for a seat. As I neared it a young bullock came leisurely40 down towards the water from the bush, between me and the log. I, of course, took no notice of him, but held on my way until within, I should say, fifty yards of the log. Suddenly that dead tree sprang into life and spun41 round with a movement like the sweep of a scythe42. It struck the bullock from his feet, throwing him upon his side in the water. What ensued was so rapid that the eye could not follow it, or make out anything definitely except a stirring up of the sand and a few ripples43 in the water. The big animal was carried off as noiselessly and easily as if he had been a lamb, nor, although I watched long, did I ever catch sight of him again. Notwithstanding the heat of the sun I felt a cold chill as I thought how easily the fate of the bullock might have been mine. And from thenceforth, until familiarity with the hateful reptiles45 bred a sort of contempt for their powers, I kept a very sharp look-out in every direction for stranded tree-trunks. This care on my part nearly proved fatal,[104] because I forgot that the alligators might possibly be lying hid in the jungly vegetation that flourished thickly just above high-water mark. So that it happened when I neared the spot where I was to hail the boat, as I nervously47 scanned the beach for any sign of a scaly48 log, I heard a rustling49 of dry leaves on my right, and down towards me glided50 one of the infernal things with a motion almost like that of a launching ship. I turned and tried to run—I suppose I did run—but to my fancy it seemed as if I had a 56-lb. weight upon each foot. Hardly necessary to say, perhaps, that I escaped, but my walk had lost all its charms for me, and I vowed51 never to come ashore again there alone.
But as if the performances of these ugly beasts were to be fully10 manifested before our eyes, on the very next day, a Greek trader came off to the ship accompanied by his son, a boy of about ten years old. Leaving the youngster in the canoe, the father came on board and tried to sell some fruit he had brought. We had a raft of mahogany alongside, about twenty huge logs, upon which a half-breed Spaniard was standing44, ready to sling52 such as were pointed53 out to him by the stevedores54. The boy must needs get out of the canoe and amuse himself by stepping from log to log, delighted hugely by the way they bobbed and tumbled about beneath him. Presently a yell from the slingsman brought all hands to the rail on the jump, and there, about fifty yards from the raft, was to be seen the white arm of the boy limply waving to and fro, while a greasy55 ripple beneath it showed only too plainly what horror[105] had overtaken him. The distracted father sprang into his canoe, four men from our ship manned our own boat, and away they went in chase, hopelessly enough to be sure. Yet, strange to say, the monster did not attempt to go down with his prey56. He kept steadily57 breasting the strong current, easily keeping ahead of his pursuers, that pitiful arm still waving as if beckoning58 them onward59 to the rescue of its owner. Boat after boat from ships and shore joined in the pursuit, every man toiling60 as if possessed61 by an overmastering energy and impervious62 to broiling63 sun or deadening fatigue64. For five miles the chase continued; one by one the boats and canoes gave up as their occupants lost their last ounce of energy, until only one canoe still held on, one man still plied65 his paddle with an arm that rose and fell like the piston-rod of a steam-engine. It was the bereaved66 father. At last the encouraging arm disappeared, as the alligator, having reached his lair67, disappeared beneath the surface, leaving the river face unruffled above him. Quick as a wild duck the solitary68 pursuer swerved69 and made for the bank, where a score of his acquaintances met him tendering gourds70 of aguadiente, cigaritos, and such comfort as they could put into words. He took the nearest gourd71 and drank deeply of the fiery72 spirit, accepted a cigarette and lit it mechanically, but never spoke16 a word. All the while his eyes were roving restlessly around in search of something. At last they lit upon a coil of line hanging upon a low branch to dry. He rushed toward it, snatched it from its place, and taking his cuchillo from his belt felt its edge. Then[106] roughly brushing aside all who attempted to hinder him, he boarded his canoe again, taking no notice of one of his friends who got in after him. Under the pressure of the two paddles they rapidly neared the spot where the beast had sunk. As soon as they reached the place the silent avenger75 laid aside his paddle, took one end of the coil in his hand and flinging the other to his companion, slipped overside and vanished. In about two minutes he returned to the surface, ghastly, his eyes glaring, and taking a long, long breath disappeared again. This time he did not return. When the watcher above felt that all hope was gone he hauled upon the line as much as he dared, but could not move what it was secured to. Soon, however, boats came to his assistance, and presently extra help raised to the surface the huge armoured body of the man-eater, the line being fast round his hind74 legs. The bereaved father was clinging to the monster’s throat, one arm thrust between his horrid76 jaws77 and the other hand still clutching the haft of the bowie-knife, whose blade was buried deep in the leathery folds of the great neck. With bared heads and solemn faces the helpers towed the group ashore, and reverently78 removing the poor remains79 of father and son, buried them deep under a wide-spreading tree.
In the intervals80 (frequently occurring) between the shipment of one consignment81 of logs and the arrival of another, it was part of our duties to hunt along the river banks for ownerless log-ends or even logs of mahogany or cedar82 which we might saw and split up into convenient pieces for broken stowage or[107] filling up the many interstices between the logs in the hold. Naturally this led us into some queer places and not a few scrapes, but incidentally we were able to do some good service to the inhabitants by destroying many hundreds of embryo83 alligators. For wherever, in the course of our journeyings, we came across a swelling84 in the sand along the river bank, there we would delve85, and we never failed of finding a deposit of ball-like stony-shelled eggs, which each contained a little devil of an alligator almost ready to begin his career of crime. Needless perhaps to say that none of those found by us in this manner ever did any harm. But while busy on one occasion destroying a clutch of these eggs, a huge specimen86 some sixteen feet long appeared from no one knew where, and actually succeeded in reaching with the horny tip of his tail, as it swept round, the legs of a West countryman, one of our finest seamen. Fortunately for him the bo’sun was carrying a loaded Snider rifle, and without stopping to think whether anybody else might be in the way he banged her “aloose.” The alligator was at the moment in a half circle, swinging himself round to reach the fallen man with his awful jaws wide spread and displaying all their jagged yellow fangs87. The heavy bullet plunged88 right down that stinking89 throat and ploughed its way out through the creature’s belly90 into the sand. With a writhe91 like a snake the monster recoiled92 upon himself, snapping his jaws horribly and loading the air with a faint, sickening smell of musk93. After two or three twists and turns he managed to slip into the water, but not before the bo’sun had[108] fired twice more at him and missed him by yards. Poor Harry94, the man knocked down, was so badly scared that he sat on a log end and vomited95, looking livid as a corpse96 and shaking like a man of ninety. We could do nothing for him, but watched him sympathetically, hoping for his recovery, when suddenly with a wild yell he sprang to his feet and began to tear his clothes off as if he were mad. Lord, how he did swear too! We were all scared, thinking the fright had turned his brain, but when he presently danced before us in his bare buff, picking frantically97 at his skin, our dismay was changed into shrieks98 of laughter. A colony of red ants, each about half an inch long, had been concealed100 in that log. They had walked up his trouser legs quietly enough and fastened upon his body, their nippers meeting through the soft skin. Hence his endeavours to get disrobed in haste. He said it was nothing to laugh at, but I don’t believe the man was yet born that could have seen him and not laughed. Happily it cured him of his fright.
Whether by good luck or good management I don’t presume to say, but in all our explorations we met with no accident either from snake or saurian, while the crew of a Norwegian brig lying close by us lost one of their number the second day after their arrival. They had been very short of water, and in consequence sent a boat up the river to one of the creeks101 for a supply. Four hands went on this errand, and, tempted73 by the refreshing102 coolness of the water, one of them waded103 out into the river until the water was up to his waist, and stood there[109] baling it up with the dipper he carried and pouring it over his head. The others were in the boat laughing at his antics, when suddenly, as they described it, a dark sickle-like shadow swept round him, and with one marrow-freezing shriek99 he fell. All the signs of a fearful struggle beneath the water were evident, but never again did they see their shipmate, nor was it until some time afterwards that they learned what the manner of his going really was. And when they did find out, nothing would tempt46 any of them to leave the ship again while she lay there. One of them told me that his shipmate’s last cry would be with him, reverberating104 through his mind, until his dying day. I am not naturally cruel, but I confess that when one day I caught one of these monsters with a hook and line while fishing for something else, I felt a real pleasure in taking the awful thing alongside, hoisting105 it on board, and ripping it lengthways from end to end. From its stomach we took quite a bushel basket-full of eggs, nearly all of them with shells, ready for laying, and we felt truly thankful that so vile106 a brood had been caught before they had begun their life of evil.
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1
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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alligator
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| n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼) | |
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diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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maligned
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| vt.污蔑，诽谤（malign的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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iniquity
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| n.邪恶；不公正 | |
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atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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lizard
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| n.蜥蜴，壁虎 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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alligators
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| n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 ) | |
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infested
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| adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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debouch
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| v.流出，进入 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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embarkation
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| n. 乘船, 搭机, 开船 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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scenting
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| vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式） | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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turbid
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| adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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scythe
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| n. 长柄的大镰刀，战车镰； v. 以大镰刀割 | |
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43
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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48
scaly
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| adj.鱼鳞状的；干燥粗糙的 | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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50
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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51
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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52
sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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53
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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stevedores
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| n.码头装卸工人，搬运工( stevedore的名词复数 ) | |
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greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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broiling
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| adj.酷热的，炽热的，似烧的v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的现在分词 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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bereaved
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| adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物） | |
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lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gourds
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| n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
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gourd
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| n.葫芦 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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avenger
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| n. 复仇者 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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79
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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80
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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81
consignment
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| n.寄售；发货；委托；交运货物 | |
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82
cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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83
embryo
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| n.胚胎，萌芽的事物 | |
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84
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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85
delve
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| v.深入探究，钻研 | |
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86
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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87
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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88
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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89
stinking
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| adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透 | |
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90
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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91
writhe
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| vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼 | |
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92
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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93
musk
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| n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫 | |
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94
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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95
vomited
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96
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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97
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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98
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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99
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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100
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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101
creeks
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| n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪 | |
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102
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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103
waded
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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105
hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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106
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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