The Indians and the negroes were at their quarters along the sides.
Araujo, seated at the bow, was watching the current which extended
straight away in front of him.
Manoel and Benito, with their eyes open, but chatting and smoking
with apparent indifference, walked about the central part of the
craft awaiting the hour of repose.
All at once Manoel stopped Benito with his hand and said:
"What a queer smell! Am I wrong? Do you not notice it?"
"One would say that it was the odor of burning musk!" replied Benito.
"There ought to be some alligators asleep on the neighboring beach!"
"Well, nature has done wisely in allowing them so to betray
themselves."
"Yes," said Benito, "it is fortunate, for they are sufficiently
formidable creatures!"
Often at the close of the day these saurians love to stretch
themselves on the shore, and install themselves comfortably there to
pass the night. Crouched at the opening of a hole, into which they
have crept back, they sleep with the mouth open, the upper jaw
perpendicularly erect, so as to lie in wait for their prey.
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