s on these huge beaches that the caymans are born, live, and die,
not without affording extraordinary examples of longevity. Not only can
the old ones, the centenarians, be recognized by the greenish moss which
carpets their carcass and is scattered over their protuberances, but by
their natural ferocity, which increases with age. As Benito said, they
are formidable creatures, and it is fortunate that their attacks can be
guarded against.

Suddenly cries were heard in the bow.

"Caymans! caymans!"

Manoel and Benito came forward and looked.

Three large saurians, from fifteen to twenty feet long, had managed to
clamber on to the platform of the raft.

"Bring the guns! Bring the guns!" shouted Benito, making signs to the
Indians and the blacks to get behind.

"Into the house!" said Manoel; "make haste!"

And in truth, as they could not attack them at once, the best thing they
could do was to get into shelter without delay.

It was done in an instant. The Garral family took refuge in the house,
where the two young men joined them. The Indians and the negroes ran
into their huts and cabins. As they were shutting the door:

"And Minha?" said Manoel.

"She is not there!" replied Lina, who had just run to her mistress'
room.

"Good heavens! where is she?" exclaimed her mother, and they all shouted
at once:

"Himha! Minha!"

No reply.

"There she is, on the bow of the jangada!" said Benito.

"Minha!" shouted Manoel.

The two young men, and Fragoso and Joam Garral, thinking no more of
danger, rushed out of the house, guns in hand.

Scarcely were they outside when two of the alligators made a half turn
and ran toward them.

A dose of buckshot to the head, close to the eye, from Benito, stopped
one of the monsters, who, mortally wounded, writhed in frightful
convulsions and fell on his side.

But the second still lived, and came on, and there was no way of
avoiding him.

The huge alligator tore up to Joam Garral, and after knocking him over
with a sweep of his tail, ran at him with open jaws.

At this moment Torres rushed from the cabin, hatchet in hand, and struck
such a terrific blow that its edge sunk into the jaw of the cayman and
left him defenseless.

Blinded by the blood, the animal flew to the side, and, designedly or
not, fell over and was lost in the stream.

"Minha! Minha!" shouted Manoel in distraction, when he got to the bow of
the jangada.

Suddenly she came into view. She had taken