In Camp And Field

(Scction XXl-Continued.) Alter a time, while pickmg some Dernes and moving about in quest of others, the writer became separated from his companions. Meantime tho sun became obscured by heavy clouds, it began to thunder and threaten rain, while in almost everv direction could be heard the deep bellowing of alligators. They seemed near by, and their unearthly noise was not calculated to add to the cheerfulness of one alone in a heavy, strange forest in an enemy's country and with a terrifflc storm approaching. Fortunately, however, the storm passed around and the writer soon found his way out of the timber and in due time reached camp with a good supply of nice berries. Bpeaking of alligators, the writer recalls an experience, with what was supposed to be one, in the early spring of 1863, while marching across the península opposite Vicksburg, when upon the campaign against tbat stronghold. The command had halted f or a day or two at Holmes' plautation, and with a companion the writer set out for a hunt. The whole región nearly was more or less under water, and we were obliged t imike our way for the most part upon a levee that led along the banks of a bayou. Pretty soon we saw what was thougbt to be an alligator sticking his head out of the water. We both had army muskets that carried a large minnie ball. One of us took aim and fired very deliberately, but made no impression upon the object aimed at, but as alligators are notoriously non-impressionable to bullets, nothing was thought of this, and another shot was fired. About this time the "alligator" jerked his head under water, but soon put it out again, and this operation he repeated at short intervals. Meantime shot after shot was fired, and at. last one knocked ofl a large piece of bark from the end of a gray, weather-beaten log that lay in the stream in sueh a position tliat while one end was imbedded in the mud the other projected up stream and just came to the surface upon whieh it rose and feil with the current. This, technically called by boatmen a"sawyer", was what we had taken for an alligator's head and lired at so many times. One day the writer was sitting upon the fence around the house near which his company was encamped, when all at once a terrific explosión was heard that seemed to be right at hand. The first thought was that the Brigade Battery had, unnoticed, taken positlon near-by and discbarged several pieces simultaneously; but turning nis eyes toward Mobile the writer savv rising there that great column of smoke characteristic of an explosión. The smoke mounted up in a dark, thick xnass and Uien spread out like an immense umbrella or mushroom, and ' ough it could be seen broken timbers and debris of all kinds flying in every direction. Although three miles from Mobile, quite a concussion was feit, and glas was cracked in the Windows of the liouse near camp. It was supposed a steamer at the wharf had blovvn up, but later carne word that an immense amount of ammunition surrendered by the Conlederates, shipped in by rail and stored in a large warehouse in Mobile, had exploded. A number were killed, and the shock ín the city was almost like an earthquake, breaking Windows and tearing doors from their hinges all over the city.