I therefore walked straight up to the evil-looking monster; then, taking a short run, I leaped high into the air, shot over his head, and landed on his scaly back, at the same time giving a tremendous yell in order to attract Yamba, whom I had left in charge of the boat.
The moment I landed on his back I struck the alligator with all my force with my tomahawk, on what I considered the most vulnerable part of his head.

So powerful was my stroke, that I found to my dismay that I could not get the weapon out of his head again.

While I was in this extraordinary situation--standing on the back of an enormous alligator, and tugging at my tomahawk, embedded in its head--Yamba came rushing up the path, carrying one of the paddles, which, without a moment's hesitation, she thrust down the alligator's throat as he turned to snap at her.

She immediately let go her hold and retreated.

The alligator tried to follow her, but the shaft of the paddle caught among some tree trunks and stuck.