The Polynesian., 1841-04-03
Capture and Death of Il Mammoth Alligator.

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The subioined is the account, from Sill
man 5 journal, OF the destruction Of Il huge
Alligator. it will be found exceedingly III
teiCstng.
liz tne course of the year 1881 the pro
prietor ot HaaiiaIa informed me that he lie
quenty lost horses and COWS on a remot,
part oi his plantation, and the natives assuret
nun they were taNen by an enormous alhga
tor, who IrcQuented one OF the streams wnici
run into tne lake. Their DESCRIPTIONS were
50 highly wrought that they were ultrlbutel
to the iOndness iof eXaggclatlon, to whcl
the lnhaOlauts OF that Country are peculiarly
addicted, and very little cicdit was given t,
their repeated relations.
All doubts as to the existence Of the ami
mai, were at last dlspell.d by the dcstruc-
ton OF an indian, who attempted to ford the
rvcr on horseback, although entreaied to
dcsl>t by has COMPANIONS VINO crossed at a
shallow place higher up. lie reached the
Ccntie VI tnc stream anu was laughing at
the others for tacir prudence, when lhe alll-
gator came uyOn INN. ills tc,tn encCun-
tered the saddle, wn!ch he tore from the
horse, while the rider tulnbicd on the other
side INTO the water and made Tor the shore.
Inc horse, too terllUcd to move, Stood tIeul-
bihIg where the attack was made. j he al
ISator, dlSres ardhg nm, pun sued the man,
WhU Sa.cly reachcd me oalN, when he cou. Il
eashy have "scendcd, but rendered foOi-har-
~ " hIs escape, he placed himself behind
il Tree, winch mad laiicn partly INTO the wa
Ter, and d'aWinS neavy Knle, leaned oN er
the tree, and on the approach oi his enemy,
struck nl,n on the nose The animal rcpcat
ed tne assault and the Indian his blows until
the tornet, eNaSpeiated at the resistance,
rushed Oh the man, and scilIng him by the
middle OF the body, which was at once en-
ci 'Scu ana Crushed IN his capaciouS laws
swan iAto the lake. Ills ilends hastened
t. the rescue; but the alligator SLOWLY lett
the shore, while the poor wretch, wrlthinr
aud shlIrkIng N his agony, with his knie
upIiiicd IN has c,aSpcd hands, seemed, as the
otncrS expressed IT, "hcId out as ii mun
would cary Il torch" HIS su!lcrinns were
iIot long con.in, cd, for the monster sunk 70
Ihe o''I'"i, ANA 50 II after rc-appcarIng alone
IN tne surface, and calmly basNlng N the
SHh, gave to the horror sitIckcn SPECTATORS
the iulcst confirmation OF the death and Du
rial oi their cOiniadC
y short time after this event, | made Il
visit to llal1hala, and expressing n stronu
desire TO capture or dt stioy the alligator, my
host readily offered his assistance. 1he an
'inai had been seen, few days before, with
his head and one of his fore feet ,cstinu ON
the bank, aud his eyes following the motion
o! some cows which were grazing near. Cur
'nlormcr Ilkcned his appearance to that of a
cat watching mouse, aud IN the attitude 10
sprmg np"n his prey when it should be with
III his reach.
iioarng that the alligator had killed n
horse, we proceeded to the place, about five
miles from the house. It was a trauo,i
spot, and one OF singular beauty, even in that
and. The stream, which a tew hundred feet
rom the lake narrowed to brook with tic
green banks iringed with the graceful ham
900, and the alt, rnate glory of Glade and
.oreei, spreading far and wide, seem,d fitted
sor other purposes than the familiar haunt Of
.he huge creature that had Appropriated if
10 himself a lew cane huts Mere situated
short distance from the river, and we vro.
cured irom them "ha, men thew contained