The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-07-18
AN ALLIGATOR HUNT.

In the course of the year 1881,
the proprietor of Halahala, in the
island of Tacoma, states that he
frequently lost horses and COWS by
an enormous alligator, who tre-
quented one of the streams which
ran into the lake. A few days before
my arrival, an Indian was crossing
the river on horseback, when the
alligator came upon him. He
seized the saddle, which he tore
from the horse, while the rider
tumblcd into the water and made
for the shore. The alligator, dis
regarding the horse, pursued the
man, who safely reached the bank,
and might have escaped, but, being
foolhardv, he placed himself behind
a tree which had fallen into the
water, and drawing his knife when
the animal approached he struck
him OH the nose. The animal, eX-
aspcrated at the resistance of the
Indian, rushed upon him, and seiz-
ing him by the middle of the body
in his capacious jaws, disappeared
into the lake. The monster sank
to the bottom, and soon after re-
appearing alone on the surface,
calmly basking in the sun, gave to
the horror-stricken spectators the
fullest confirmation of the death
and burial of their comrade.
Having expressed strong desire
to destroy the monster, my host
readily offered his assistance. We
commenced operations by sinking
strong buffalo nets upright across
the river, three deep, and at inter-
walls Of several feet. My companion
and myself placed ourselves with
our guns on either side Of the
stream, while the Indians, with long
bamboos, felt for the animal. At
length he was aroused, and moved
slowly on the bottom towards the
nets, which he no sooner touched
than he. quietly turned back and
proceeded up the stream. This was
several times repeated; and having
no in the enclosure, he attempt
ed to climb up the bank. On
receiving a ball in the body, he
plunged into the water, and tried
the other side, where he received o
similar salutation, discharged di-
rectly into his mouth. Finding
himself attacked on every side, he
renewed his attempts to ascend the
banks, but whatever part of him
appeared was gored with bullets.
He once seemed determined to force
his way, and foaming with rage,
rushed with open jaws, and gnash-
ing his teeth with a sound too
ominous to be despised, when his
career was stopped by large
bamboo thrust violently into his
mouth. The tremendous brute,
CALLED with wounds and repeated
defeat, tore his way through the
foaming water, glancing from side
to side in the vain attempt to avoid
his foes. At length, maddened
with suffering, and desperate from
continued persecution, he rushed
furiously at the nets, and burst
through two of them, but the third
stopped him, and his teeth and legs
got entangled in all. This gaveus
a chance of closer warfare with
lances, and, entering n canoe, we
plunged lance after lance into his
body as he was struggling in the
water, till a wood seemed growing
from him, which moved violently
above, while his body was conceal
ed below. There seemed no end
to his vitality, till lance struck
him through the middle of his
back, which an Indian, with
heavy piece of wood, hammered
into him as he could catch an OPP
portunity.
The monster was nearly 80 #. in
length, and 13ft. in circumference:
and had he known his own strength,
he could have crushed or carried
with him into the lake the whole
population of the place.