Its mouth
was open and Frank, as if by instinct, fired the contents of both
barrels into its throat. The animal rolled over on to its back in
the water and then turned as if to struggle to regain the bank.
The Houssa, however, had run up, and, placing the muzzle of his
gun within a foot of its eye, fired, and the creature rolled over
dead, and was swept away by the stream.
The Houssa gave a loud shout which was answered in the distance. He
then shouted two or three words, and turning to Frank said: "Men
get alligator," and proceeded on his way without concerning himself
further in the matter.
On his return to camp in the evening Frank found that the alligator
had been discovered and fished out, and that its steaks were by no
means bad eating. Frank told Mr. Goodenough of the narrow escape he
had had, and the latter pointed out to him the necessity of always
keeping his eyes on the watch.
"Alligators frequently carry off the native women when engaged in
washing," he said, "and almost invariably strike them, in the first
place, into the river with a blow of their tails. Once in the water
they are carried off, drowned, and eaten at leisure. Sometimes,
indeed, a woman may escape with the loss of a foot or arm, but this
is the exception.
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