M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-03-26
miscellaneous ArtiIes.
The AIIlgator and one Bear

1sA9ANOA anu tNAC DCAAh .
A graphic account of a contest be
tween an alligator and a bear, evi
IDENTIFY written by an eyewitness, ap
peared many years since. Every in
cident is brought wildly to the mind
eye.
The witness, while fishing on thu
banks Of beautiful stream in West
ern Louisiana, was startled by the
roaring of sOme animal in the cane.
brake near by, apparently getting
ready for action. These notes OF
preparation were succeeded by the
sound of feet, trampling down the
cane and scattering the shells on
the ground. Rushing to the trysting,
instead of there being what was
supposed, two prairie bulls mixing
impetuously in battle, there was
a large black bear, raised upon
his hind legs, his face besmeared with
white foam, sprinkled blood, which,
dropping from his mouth, rolled down
his shaggy breast. Frantic from the
smarting of his wounds, he stood
gnashing his teeth and growing at
his enemy. On a bank of snow.
white shells, in battle array, was bru.
ms foe, a monster alligator. lie
looked as ifhe had Just been dipped
in the Teche, and had emerged, like
Achilles from the Styx, with as in.
vulnerable coat ofmail; he was stan,
ding on tip-toe, his back curved up,
ward and his toungeless mouth thrown
open, displaying his wide jaws, two
large tusks and rows of teeth. His
tail, six feet long, raised from the
ground was constantly waving like a
boxers arm to gather force; his big
eyes starting from his head, glared up
on bruin, while sometimes uttering
sounds between his teeth.
Bruin though evidently bafled, had
a grum look, which showed he had
not lost confidence in himself. If the
difficulty of the undertaking had once
deceived him, he was preparingto get
at it again. Accordingly letting
himselfdown on all tours, he ran fu.
%riously at the alligator, which being
ready for him, threw his head and
body partly round to avoid the onset,
and met bruin half way with Il blow
of that tail hat rolled him on the
shells.
The bear was not to be put off by
one hurt; three times in rapid success.
ion he rushed at the alligator, and
was as often repulsed in the same
manner, being knocked back by each
blow far enough to give the alligator,
he returned, time to recover the
swing of his tail. The tail ofthe ALI
gator sounded like a fail against the
coat of hair on bruins head and shout
derS, but he bore it without finching,
still pushing on to come to close hold
with his Scaly foe.
Finally, he made a fourth charge
with a degree ofdexterity which those
who have never seen this clumsy ami
NAL exercising would suppose him in
of. This time he got SO close
10 the alligator before the tail struck
hat the blow came with but
half its usual effect. The alligator
upset by the charge, and before
he could recover his feet bruin grasp
ed him round the body, below the
fore-legs, and holding him down on his
back, seized one oftlie reptiles legs in
his mouth. The alligator was now in
a desperate situation; he attempted in
vain to bite, for his neck was so stiff
hal he could not turn his head around.
Seized with desperation, the amphib-
ions beast fetched a scream ofdeSpair;
but, being a warrior "by flood and by
he was not yet entirely over
come. Writhing his tail in agony, he
happened to strike it against a small
tree which stood next the bank-aided
by this purchase he made a c%onvul-
sive founder, which precipitated him.
selfand bruln, locked together, into the
river.
The bank from which they fell was
four feet high, and the water below
seven feet deep. The tranqil stream
received the combatants, with loud
then closed over them in ST.
A volley Of ascending bubbles
announced Their arrival at the bottom,
the battle ended. Presently
bruin rose again, scrambled up the
bank, cast a glance back at the river
and, all dripping, made off to the cane
brake.
SHARP SHooTERs.-Lord Evelyn,
enn Of tha Eatl of Ruta ond an off