FEBRUARY 25.
Yesterday it was observed at George's Palin, an estate about
four miles off, that the water-mill did not work properly, and it
was concluded that the grating was clogged up with rubbish.
To clear it away, a negro immediately jumped down into the
trench upon a log of wood ; when he felt the log move under
him, and, of course, jumped out again with all possible expedition. it was
then discovered that
the impediment in question proceeded from a larger aligator which had
wandered from
the morass, and , in the hope of finding his way to the river,
had swum up the mill-trench till he found himself stopped by
the grating ; and the banks being to high for him to gain them
by leaping upwards, and the place of his confinement too narrow
to admit of his turning round to go back again, his escape was
impossible, and a ball, lodged near his eye, soon put an end to
him. I went over to see him this morning ; but I was not contented at
merely seeing him, so I
begged to have a steak cut
off for me, brought it home, and ordered it to be broiled for
dinner. One of the negroes happened to see it in the kitchen ;
the news spread through the estate like wildfire ; and I had immediately
half-a-dozen different deputations, all hoping tha
massa would not think of eating the alligator, for it was poisonous.
however, I was obstinate,
and found the taste of the flesh,
when broiled with pepper and salt, and assisted by an onion
sauce, by no means to be despised ; but the consistence of the
meat was disagreeable, being as tough as a piece of eel-skin.
Perhaps any body who wishes to eat alligator-steaks in perfection, out to
keep them for two or
three days before dressing
them ; or the animal's age might be in fault, for the fellow was
so old that he had scarcely a tooth in his head ; I therefore contented
myself with two or three
morsels ; but a person who was
dining with me ate a whole steak, and pronounced the dish to be
a ery good one. The eggs are said to be very palatable ; nor
have the negroes who live near the morasses the same objection
with those of Cornwall to eating the flesh : it is, however, true
that the gall of the alligator, if not extracted carefully, will
render the whole animal unfit for food ; and when this gall is
reduced to powder, it forms a poison of the most dnagerous
nature, as the negroes know but too well.
