Alligators
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William Bartram's Alegators

William Bartram described this ancient beast better than the nature channels on televison ever can. His writing was for three purposes; as a naturalist, he captured the image and the life-characteristics of the animals (and plants), as a writer to convey to a public what was to be found in this strange new world, and finally for money (Fothergill provided financial support for his travels and accordingly, he did as bid.) When others cast doubt about the accuracy of his journals, they cannot offer substituting evidence to contradict his records. One may scoff at the idea of an alligator with ears, as one of his drawings published in England showed. However, it was the publisher, not Bartram who provided that stroke of genetic engineering. In confirmation, on need only look to his picture of an alligator, "The Alegator of St. Johns (Natural History Museum, London, pp, 201 in Thomas Slaughter's book, "The Natures of John and William Bartram"". There appears the beast, sans ears.

In the hope that the images of the Alegator, rest firmly in the mind of the reader, I provide the following which is from the Travels of William Bartram, as published by the Library of America in the book entitled, William Bartram. Adding a bit of local color, I have in [brackets] provided some commentary where I thought it might be useful or interesting. But all in all, this is the Billy Bartram to be remembered and respected as America's premier naturalist, standing far above Rafinesque, Crevecoeur , or Catlin or Audubon .

Here's William Bartram's encounter with the Alegator(s).

The evening was temperately cool and calm. The crocodiles [Used interchangeably with Alegator.] began to roar and appear in uncommon numbers along the shores and in the river. I fixed my camp in an open plain, near the utmost projection of the promontory, under the shelter of a large live oak [In some of his writings, oak trees with a diameter of greater than twelve feet are described.], which stood on the highest part of the ground, and but a few yards from my boat. From this open, high situation, I had a free prospect of the river, which was a matter of no trivial consideration to me, having good reason to dread the subtle attacks of the alligators, who were crowding about my harbour.

Having collected a good quantity of wood for the purpose of keeping up a light and smoke during the night, [Mosquitoes then as now were a major concern, not for health reasons but because of their propensity to attack any exposed flesh.] I began to think of preparing my supper, when, upon examining my stores, I found but a scanty provision. I thereupon determined, as the most expeditious way of supplying my necessities, to take my bob and try for some trout [Trout was the common name applied to all fish, more than likely the fish were bass.]. About one hundred yards above my harbour began a cove or bay of the river, out of which opened a large lagoon. The mouth or entrance from the river to it was narrow, but the waters soon after spread and formed a little lake, extending into the marshes: its entrance and shores within I observed to be verged with floating lawns of the pistia and nymphea and other aquatic plants; these I knew were excellent haunts for trout. The verges and islets of the lagoon were elegantly embellished with flowering plants and shrubs; the laughing Coots with wings half spread were tripping over the little coves and hiding themselves in the tufts of grass; young broods of the painted summer teal skimming the still surface of the waters, and following the watchful parent unconscious of danger, were frequently surprised by the voracious trout; and he, in turn, as often by the subtle greedy alligator.

Behold him rushing forth from the flags and reeds. His enormous body swells. His plaited tail brandished high, floats upon the lake. The waters like a cataract descend from his opening jaws. Clouds of smoke issue from his dilated nostrils. The earth trembles with his thunder. When immediately from the opposite coast of the lagoon emerges from the deep his rival champion. They suddenly dart upon each other. The boiling surface of the lake marks their rapid course, and a terrific conflict commences. They now sink to the bottom folded together in horrid wreaths. [The alligator grasp its larger prey or opponent and spins in the water in an attempt to drown the unwary.] The water becomes thick and discoloured. Again they rise, their jaws clap together, reechoing through the deep surrounding forests. Again they sink, when the contest ends at the muddy bottom of the lake and the vanquished makes a hazardous escape, hiding himself in the muddy turbulent waters and sedge on a distant shore. The proud victor exulting returns to the place of action. The shores and forests resound his dreadful roar, together with the triumphing shouts of the plaited tribes around, witnesses of the horrid combat.

My apprehensions were highly alarmed after being a spectator of so dreadful a battle. It was obvious that every delay would but tend to increase my dangers and difficulties, as the sun was near setting, and the alligators gathered around my harbour from all quarters. From these considerations I concluded to be expeditious in my trip to the lagoon in order to take some fish. Not thinking it prudent to take my fusee [rifle] with me, lest I might lose it overboard in case of a battle, which I had every reason to dread before my return. I therefore furnished myself with a club for my defense, went on board, and penetrating the first line of those which surrounded my harbour, they gave way; but being pursued by several very large ones, I kept strictly on the watch, and paddled with all my might towards the entrance of the lagoon, hoping to be sheltered there from the multitude of my assailants; but ere I had half-way reached the place, I was attacked on all sides, several endeavoring to overset the canoe.

My situation now became precarious to the last degree: very large ones attacked me closely, at the same instant, rushing up with their heads and part of their bodies above the water, roaring terrible and belching floods of water over me. They struck their jaws together so close to my ears, as almost to stun me, and I expected every moment to be dragged out of the boat and instantly devoured. But I applied my weapons so effectually about me, though at random, that I was so successful as to beat them off a little; when, finding that they designed to renew the battle, I made for the shore, as the only means left me for my preservation; for, by keeping close to it, I should have my enemies on one side of me only, whereas I was before surrounded by them; and there was a probability, if pushed to the last extreme, of saving myself, by jumping out of the canoe on shore, as it is easy to outwalk them on land, although comparatively as swift as lightning in the water. I found this last expedient alone could fully answer my expectations, for as soon as I gained the shore, they drew off and kept aloof.

This was a happy relief, as my confidence in some degree, recovered by it. On recollecting myself, I discovered that I had almost reached the entrance of the lagoon, and determined to venture in, if possible, to take a few fish, and then return to my harbour, while day-light continued; for I could now, with caution and resolution, make my way with safety along shore; and indeed there was no other way to regain my camp, without leaving my boat and making my retreat through the marshes and reeds, which, if I could even effect, would have been in a manner throwing myself away for then there would have been no hopes of ever recovering my bark [boat], and returning in safety to any settlements of men.

I accordingly proceeded, and made good my entrance into the lagoon, though not without opposition from the alligators, who formed a line across the entrance, but did not pursue me into it, nor was I molested by any there, though there were some very large ones in a cove at the upper end. I soon caught more trout than I had present occasion for, and the air was too hot and sultry to admit of their being kept for many hours, even though salted or barbecued. I now prepared for my return to camp, which I succeeded in with but little trouble, by keeping close to the shore; yet I was opposed upon re-entering the river out of the lagoon, and pursued near to my landing (though not closely attacked), particularly by an old daring one, about twelve feet in length, who kept close after me; and when I stepped on shore and turned about in order to draw up my canoe, he rushed up near my feet and lay there for some time, looking me in the face, his head and shoulders out of water. I resolved he should pay for his temerity and having a heavy load in my fusee, I ran to my camp and returning with my piece, found him with his foot on the gunwale of the boat, in search of fish. On my coming up he withdrew sullenly and slowly into the water, but soon returned and placed himself in his former position, looking at me, and seeming neither fearful nor any way disturbed. I soon dispatched him by lodging the contents of my gun in his head, and then proceeded to cleanse and prepare my fish for supper; and accordingly took them out of the boat, laid them down on the sand close to the water, and began to scale them; when, I raising my head, I saw before me, through the clear water, the head and shoulders of a very large alligator, moving slowly towards me. I instantly stepped back, when, with a sweep of his tail, he brushed off several of my fish. It was certainly most providential that I looked up at instant, as the monster would probably in less than a minute, have seized and dragged me into the river. This incredible boldness of the animal disturbed me greatly, supposing there could now be no reasonable safety for me during the night, but by keeping continually on the watch: I therefore, as soon as I had prepared the fish, proceeded to secure myself and effects in the best manner I could.

In the first place, I hauled my bark upon the shore, almost clear out of the water, to prevent their over-setting or sinking her; after this, every moveable was taken out and carried to my camp, which was but a few yards off; then ranging some dry wood in such order as was the most convenient, I cleared the ground round about it, there might be no impediment in my way, in case of an attack in the night, either from the water or the land; for I discovered by this time, that this small isthmus, from its remote situation and fruitfulness, was resorted to by bears and wolves.

Having prepared myself in the best manner I could, I charged my gun and proceeded to reconnoiter my camp and the adjacent grounds; when I discovered that the peninsula and grove, at the distance of about two hundred yards from my encampment, on the land side, invested by a cypress swamp, covered with water, which below was joined to the shore of the little lake, and above to the marshes surrounding the lagoon; so that I was confined to an islet exceedingly circumscribed, and I found there was no other retreat for me, in case of an attack, but by either ascending one of the large oaks, or pushing off with my boat.

It was by this time dusk, and the alligators had nearly ceased their roar, when I was again alarmed by a tumultuous noise that seemed to be in my harbour, and therefore engaged my immediate attention. Returning to my camp, I found it undisturbed, and then continued on to the extreme point of the promontory, where I saw a scene, new and surprising, which at first threw my senses into such a tumult, that it was sometime before I could comprehend what was the matter; however, I soon accounted for the prodigious assemblage of crocodiles [used interchangeably with alligator] at this place, which exceeded every thing of the kind I had ever heard of. How shall I express myself so as to convey, an adequate idea of it to the reader, and at the same time avoid raising suspicions of my veracity.

Should I say, that the river (in this place) from shore to shore, and perhaps near half a mile above and below me, appeared to be one solid bank of fish, of various kinds, pushing through this narrow pass of St. Juan's into the little lake, on their return down the river, and that the alligators were in such incredible numbers, and so close together from shore to shore, that it would have been easy to have walked across on their heads, had the animals been harmless? What expressions can sufficiently declare the shocking scene that for some minutes continued, whilst this mighty army of fish were forcing the pass? During this attempt, thousands, I may say hundreds of thousands, of them were caught and swallowed by the devouring alligators. I have seen an alligator take tip out of the water several great fish at a time, and just squeeze them betwixt his jaws, while the tails of the great trout flapped about his eyes and lips, ere he had swallowed them. The horrid noise of their closing jaws, their plunging amidst the broken banks of fish, and rising with their prey some feet upright above the water, the floods of water and blood rushing out of their mouths, and the clouds of vapour issuing from their wide nostrils, were truly frightful This scene continued at intervals during the night, as the fish came to the pass.

After this sight, shocking and tremendous as it was, I found my self somewhat easier and more reconciled to my situation; being convinced that their extraordinary assemblage here was owing to this annual feast of fish; [In the area where the Phillippi Creek joins Sarasota Bay, at the tidal change, mullet and other fish moving with the water, find themselves confronted with a line of alligators as described by William Bartram. While the number of alligators is nowhere equal to, or are the alligators as large, nevertheless, the scene is reminiscent.] and that they were so well employed in their own element, that I had little occasion to fear their paying me a visit. he noise of the crocodiles kept me awake the greater part of the night; but when I arose in the morning, contrary to my expectations, there was perfect peace; very few of them to be seen, and those were asleep on the shore. Yet I was not able to suppress my fears and apprehensions of being attacked by them in future; and indeed yesterday's combat with them, notwithstanding I came off in a manner victorious, or at least made a safe retreat, had left sufficient impression on my mind to damp my courage; and it seemed too much for one of my strength, being alone in a very small boat, to encounter such collected danger.

To pursue my voyage up the river, and be obliged every evening to pass such dangerous defiles, appeared to me as perilous as running the gauntlet betwixt two rows of Indians armed with knives and firebrands. I however resolved to continue my voyage one day longer, if I possibly could with safety, and then return down the river, should I find the like difficulties to oppose. According' I got everything on board, charged my gun, and set sail cautiously, along shore.

As I passed by Battle lagoon, I began to tremble and keep a good look out; when suddenly a huge alligator rushed out of the reeds, and with a tremendous roar came up, and darted as swift as an arrow under my boat, emerging upright on my lee quarter, with open jaws, and belching water and smoke that fell upon me like rain in a hurricane. I laid soundly about his head with my club and beat him off, and after plunging and darting about my boat, he went off on a straight line through the water, seemingly with the rapidity of lightning, and entered the cape of the lagoon. I now employed my time to the very best advantage in paddling close along shore, but could not forbear looking now and then behind me, and presently perceived one of them coming up again.

The water of the river hereabouts was shoal and very clear; the monster came up with the usual roar and menaces, and passed close by the side of my boat, when I could distinctly see a young brood of alligators, to the number of one hundred or more, following after her in a long train. They kept close together in a column without straggling off to the one side or the other; the young appeared to be of an equal size, about fifteen inches in length, almost black, with pale yellow transverse waved clouds or blotches, much like rattlesnakes in colour. I now lost sight of my enemy again. Still keeping close along shore, on turning a point or projection of the river bank, at once I beheld a great number of hillocks or small pyramids, resembling hay-cock [small heaps of hay arranged for drying], ranged like an encampment along the banks. They stood fifteen or twenty yards distant from the water, on a high marsh, about four feet perpendicular above the water.

I knew them to be the nests of the crocodile, having had a description of them before; and now expected a furious and general attack, as I saw several large crocodiles swimming abreast of these buildings. These nests being so great a curiosity to me, I was determined at all events immediately to land and examine them. Accordingly, I ran my bark on shore at one of their landing-places, which was a sort of nick or little dock, from which ascended a sloping path or road up to the edge of the meadow, where their nests were; most of them were deserted, and the great thick whitish egg-shells lay broken and scattered upon the ground round about them. The nests or hillocks arc of the form of an obtuse cone, four feet high and four or five feet in diameter at their bases; they are constructed with mud, grass, and herbage. At first they lay a floor of this kind of tempered mortar on the ground, upon which they deposit a layer of eggs, and upon this a stratum of mortar seven or eight inches in thickness, and then another layer of eggs, and in this manner one stratum upon another, nearly to the top. I believe they commonly lay from one to two hundred eggs in a nest:[Thomas P. Slaughter in his book, "The Natures of John and William Bartram", supposed that WB had meant that one female laid all the eggs found in the nest. Not so.] these are hatched, I suppose, by the heat of the sun; and perhaps the vegetable substances mixed with the earth, being acted upon by the sun, may cause a small degree of fermentation, and so increase the heat in those hillocks.[Precisely, both John and William were superb Naturalist.] The ground for several acres about these nests shewed evident marks of a continual resort of alligators; the grass was everywhere beaten down, hardly a blade or straw was left standing; whereas, all about, at a distance, it was five or six feet high, and as thick as it could grow together.

The female, as I imagine, carefully watches her own nest of eggs until they are all hatched; or perhaps while she is attending her own brood, she takes under her care and protection as many as she can get at one time, either from her own particular nest or others: but certain it is, that the young are not left to shift for themselves; for I have had frequent opportunities of seeing the female alligator leading about the shores her train of young ones, just as a hen does her brood of chickens; and she is equally assiduous and courageous in defending the young, which are under her care, and providing for their subsistence; and when she is basking upon the warm banks, with her brood around her, you may hear the young ones continually whining and barking, like young puppies. I believe but few of a brood live to the years of full growth and magnitude, as the old feed on the young as long as they can make prey of them.

The alligator when full grown is a very large and terrible creature, and of prodigious strength, activity and swiftness in the water. I have seen them twenty feet in length, and some are supposed to be twenty-two or twenty-three feet. [On a visit to Dog Island, a barrier island near where the Apalachicola river enters the Gulf of Mexico, we spotted an alligator at least twelve feet in length sunning on the sand. For all practical appearances, it was dead and only when it was poked by a not too smart group of kids did the animal come to life. Fortunately, because of the summer heat, it only meandered into the cool waters of the Gulf, otherwise the story might have a different ending. According to Jim Moore it is not that uncommon to discover an alligator swimming in the Gulf a hundred miles from the nearest landfall. So while we think of alligators as fresh water critters, they don't have an aversion to salt water. A naturalist for the Sarasota County Parks and Recreation Department suggested that alligators prefer a dip in salt water to remove (or at least treat) parasites.]

Their body is as large as that of a horse; their shape exactly resembles that of a lizard, except their tail, which is flat or cuneiform, being compressed on each side, and gradually diminishing from the abdomen to the extremity, which, with the whole body is covered with horny plates or squammae, impenetrable when on the body of the live animal, even to a rifle ball [Fossil remains of alligators are abundant in Florida and these same plates, well preserved by mineralization are found intermixed with shark's teeth, fossilized whale bones and other relics from the same period of time. Bone valley, an area near Tampa where phosphate is mined has an abundance of fossils.] and , except about their head and just behind their fore-legs or arms, where it is said they are only vulnerable. The head of a full grown one is about three feet, and the mouth opens nearly the same length; their eyes are small in proportion and seem sunk deep in the head, by means of the prominency of the brows; the nostrils are large, inflated and prominent on the top, so that the head in the water resembles, at a distance, a great chunk of wood floating about. Only the upper jaw moves, which they raise almost perpendicular, so as to form a right angle with the lower one. In the fore-part of the upper thick, strong teeth or tusks, not very sharp, but rather the shape of a cone: these are as white as the finest polished ivory, and are not covered by any skin or lips, and always in sight, which gives the creature a frightful appearance: in the lower jaw are holes opposite to these teeth, to receive them: when they clap their jaws together it causes a surprising noise, like that which is made by forcing a heavy plank with violence upon the ground, and may be heard at a great distance.[While possessing amazing strength in closing the mouth, musculature to open the mouth is minimal. Accordingly, when alligators are captured, a single wrap of duck tape is adequate to keep the mouth closed.] But what is yet more surprising to a stranger, is the incredible loud and terrifying roar, which they are capable of making, especially in the spring season, their breeding time. It It most resembles very heavy distant thunder, not only shaking the air and waters, but causing the earth to tremble; and when hundreds and thousands are roaring at the same time, you can scarcely be persuaded, but that the whole globe is violently and dangerously agitated.

An old champion, who is perhaps absolute sovereign of a little lake or lagoon (when fifty less than himself are obliged to content themselves with swelling and roaring in little coves round about) darts forth from the reedy coverts all at once, on the surface of the waters, in a right line; at first seemingly as rapid as lightning, but gradually more slowly until he arrives at the center of the lake, when he stops. He now swells himself by drawing in wind and water through his mouth, which causes a loud sonorous rattling in the throat for near a minute, but it is immediately forced out again through his mouth and nostrils, with a loud noise, brandishing his tail in the air, and the vapour ascending from his nostrils like smoke.[Here again, Slaughter failed to read carefully the writing of WB and scoffed at the idea of smoke coming from the nostrils. He seems to have overlooked the wording, "like smoke".] At other times, when swollen to an extent ready to burst, his head and tail lifted up, he spins or twirls round on the surface of the water. He acts his part like an Indian chief when rehearsing his feats of war; and then retiring, the exhibition is continued by others who dare to step forth, and strive to excel each other, to gain the attention of the favorite female.[When fishing lakes on St. Joe paper companies land South of Tallahassee, you sometimes hear the thrashing of alligators in the shallow water. It is not an inconsequential sound and reminds one that seeking higher ground perhaps is a good idea.] Having gratified my curiosity at this general breeding place and nursery of crocodiles, I continued my voyage up the river without being greatly disturbed by them.

The above from The Library of America, "Bartram Travels and Other Writings" is not an expensive book and belongs in every library. pp 114.

By comparison Thomas Slaughter's book, "The Natures of John and William Bartram" is reflective of the shallow writing of today's "historians". Why a historian believes himself to be a psychologist rather than a reviewer of the lives of these two most important personages must be explained by his desire to "publish". That is to sell more books - sad!

As in the case of most scholarly works, he provides us with footnotes and an index, and then rewrites some of William Bartram's most important contributions, as example, Bartram's crow.

Then he finds an interest in snakes, supposedly because of some deep physiological fear held by William Bartram, perhaps he sees something Freudian in them!

Another book that characterizes the country as it was being developed (?), is that by John Lawson who wrote in 1709 (that's right 1709) of his travels in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. A New Voyage to Carolina describes the land and people in a way not even William Bartram can do. It is occasionally available as a Readex Micorprint, a part of the Great Americana series. An excellent book, well written!

The reader may want to travel South to some of the still primaeval areas of Florida and Georgia. Wakulla Springs Florida, as example. Or, at the library - check out M. Rawlings' Cross Creek which speaks of an early Florida, now long gone.

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