Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1840-05-15

A low spot, which separated the river
from the luke. lutte above the nets, was
unguardrd. and we feared that he would
succeed in escaping over il. II was here
necessary TO stand firmly agaias. him; and
in several attempts which he made 10 cross
IL, we turned him back with spears, BAN.
boos, or whatever first came To hand. He
once seemed determined to force his way.
and, fuaming with rage, rushed. with open
Jaws, and gnashing his teeth. with a sound
too ominous TO be despised, appeared to have
his full energies when his career was
stopped by large bamboo shrnst violently
into his mouth, which he ground to pieces,
and the fingers of the holder were so paral-
lied that, Tor some moments, he was inca
pable Of resumiug his gun.
The natives had now become so excited
rs TO forget all prudence, and the women
and children of the little hamlet had come
down TO the shore. TO share in the general
enthusiasm. They crowded TO the opening,
and were so unmindiul oftheir danger that
IL was necessary 10 drive them back. with
some violence Had the monster known
his own strength, and dared 10 have uscd
ii. he would have gone over that spot With
force which no human power could have
wiIhstood, and would have crushed, or car
red with him into the lake, about the whole
population OF The place.
1t is not strange that personal safety was
forgotten in the excitement Of the scene
The tremendous brute, CALLED with wounds
and repeated defeat, tore his way through
the foan,ing water, glancing from side 10
side. in the vain attempt TO avoid bis foes,
then rapidly ploughing up the stream, he
grounded on the shadows, and turned back,
frantic and bewildered at his circumscribed
position. AT length. maddened with suffer
ing, and desperate from continued persecu-
tien. he rushed furiously TO the mouth OF the
stream, burst through two Of the nets; and
threw down my gun in despair. for i, look
ed as though bis way, at last. was clear to
the wide lake. But the third net stopped
him, and bis teeth and legs had got entan-
gled in ALL This gave US q chance OF
closer warfare with lances. such as are
used against the wild buffalo. We had
sent for this weapon, at the commencement
Of the attack, and found il much more effec-
tual than guns. Entering canoe, we
plunged lance after lance into the alligator
as be was struggling under the water, Till a
wood seemed to be growing from him,
which moved violently above, while his
body was concealed below. His eudeavors
TO extricate himself, ashed the water into
foam. mingled With blood and there seem.
ed no end TO his vitality. or decrease to his
resistance. ill lance struck him directly
through the middle OF his back. which an
Indian, with heavy piece Of wood, ham
mered into him, as he could catch an OPP
'ponunty.-My companion. on the other
side. now tried to haul him TO the shore. by
the nets 10 which, be had fastened himself,
but had not sufficient assistance with him.
As had more force with me, we managed,
with the aid Of the women and children. to
drag his head and par. Of his body on the
little beach. where the river joined The lake,
and, giving MIN the coup de grace" left
him 10 gasp out the emnant Of his life on
the sand. 1855
regret 10 say that the measurement Of
the length of this animal was imperfect.
1t was night when the Struggle ended, and
our examination was made by torch-light.
measured the circumference. as did also
my companion, and it was over eleven fee,
Immediately behind the fore legs. II was
thirteen feet at the belly, which was disaen-
ded by the immoderale meal made on the
horse. As he was only part out OF the
waller, stood, with line, at his head, Civ
ing the other end to an Indian, with dIrec-
tions to take it 10 the extremity OF the tail.
The length so measured was twenty-five
feet but at the time doubted the good
faith Of my assistant, from the reluctance
he manifested to enter the water, and the
fears he expressed that the mate OF the ALI
gator might be in The vicinity. From the
diameter OF the animal and the represen
tations Of those who examined him after
wards, we believed the length 10 have beer
about thirty feet. AS we intended TO pres
erve the entire skeleton, with The skin, we
were less particular than we otherwise
should have been. On opening him, we
found, with other paris Of The horse. three
legs entire, torn offat the hauneh and shout
der, which he had swallowed whole. beside.
a large quantity Of stones, some of them o
several pounds weight.
The night. which had become very darl
and slormy. prevented US from being minui
in our investigation and leaving direction
TO preserve the bones and skin, we took tn
head with Us. and returned. home. Thi
precaulion. was induced by the anxiety o
the natives TO secure the teeth and atleE
wards found that they attribute to them mil
aculous powers in the cure or prevention Q
diseases.
i The head weighed nearly three hundre
pounds; and so well was it covered wit
flesh and muscle. that we found balls quit