CHAPTER XVI.
An alligator hunt—Remarkable explosions—The rainy season ushered in by an awful resurrection.
Aat sunrise an expressive shout in Portuguese set the black slaves on their feet, and after a hasty breakfast of alligator-tail and farina they com- menced operations. Alligator-tail is by no means bad food, and after the first mouthful- -taken with hesitation and swallowed with difficulty Martin and Barney both pronounced it " capital." Sambo, who had cooked the delicate morsel, and stood watching them, smacked his lips and added, " Fuss-rate."
All being now ready for the hunt, a number of Negroes entered the water, which was nowhere very deep, with long poles in their hands. This appeared to Martin and Barney a very reckless and dangerous thing to do, as no doubt it was. Nevertheless, ac- cidents, they were told, very rarely happened.
Sambo, who was the overseer of the party, was the first to dash up to the middle in the water. " Hi,"
