y will seize on any
thing, either on land or in the water, and often make great havock among
cattle near their haunts, which are usually in fresh-water rivers. The
Indians are not greatly afraid of them, either on land or in the water.
In the former case, they run in circles, and this unwieldy animal is
unable to turn his body quickly, so that they easily get away from them.
The Indians also go into the water to seek them, taking in one hand a
piece of iron pointed and baited at both ends, with two cross pieces a
little below the points. Holding this iron by the middle, when the
alligator rises to bite, which he always does with, the head above
water, the Indian holds out the iron to him which he snaps at, and it
fastens in his mouth, keeping his jaws open like a gag. The female lays
about 100 eggs at a time, as large as goose eggs; but quite spherical,
and having shells as thick almost as those of an ostrich. The flesh of
the alligator is not fit to be eaten, being very strong and musky; and
the very water of the rivers they frequent was so strong of musk that a
draught of it was like to suffocate us, yet there are no instances of
its being injurious to health.

Being off the Bay of Guayaquil on the 21st June, we saw a ship, and came
up with her next day, being one of the Spanish men of war fitted out to
take us, carrying thirty-two guns. We did all we could to gain the
weather-gage, but carrying away our fore-top-mast, were obliged to come
to action from the leeward, so that she kept a good distance from us,
and we could not use our small arms. Dividing our crew into two equal
parts, one managed the guns while the other looked on, and when those at
the guns were weary, the others took their places, alternately
refreshing those who were not employed, by which means we fired much
faster than the enemy, making about 560 discharges, while they only made
110 or 115. We thus fought from noon till half past six, though at such
distance that our shot would hardly reach him, while his flew over us.
Growing dusk, both ceased firing, none of our men being either killed or
wounded, and only two through carelessness had their hands and faces
scorched. We lay-to all night, expecting in the morning to renew the
fight; but he had made sail from us in the night.

We now returned to the Bay of Atacames in search of provisions, for
which purpose we sent our boat ashore with twenty men, who soon
returned, saying they had found an Indian