The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-09-12
Battle with an Alligator.


''"I''"@ rom Inc h'H noiil sugar
iit 'h'' l'f- perhaps a month AFTER my
''l' h u me ""'"" f"' Al ABOUT Inuf
'''N n 'l' afternoons was RIDING
"'fh'" if". veg ~ ihlnkihE "l many Things
~ 'h' lIi'nd maj should prrhhPs heH-
'-''h W ne I'.Sh Of
N'H' "h- MAJ \ cry 81 pam rS'
l'innN 81 pam or terror me
~ "- 'lP',''.''3 .'I OF 'th'l' A%",l/ta
i'"l ~''li"d,hhd wheeled my morse
"a ''' quarter from "hl'h 'il' SOUNDS
-'r'i'd i'' come ne cry was repeated
'".t' i'''IA tl''i before; ana as had u"
i"''' IN y" 'h' difrrll"h whence me eau
Typ trll pr"rr"ded dashed across a IA
"'- thd' >'fimhiln% nP the steep bank
"pp"o''e. came IN Ign OF the chain "t
f-""h~- 'nhnecl'd with the mighty ltI'
Ii'' ~ " ~uih river winch Skrt"d the
"i''Il ~ "t llre ant Tobacco" an" on The
NhEh ! lf'a Nil"i many IL Sflpe
.i ID .nu4uS"- Hero. II IN" edge "i i cane
'I"i'" greek ihti ran up from the near
r-l lagoon mi" Inc broken ground, where
Nt"th~ were @iN Win Pufple fh"d"-
i-hit"u- rnd IT'D" Wild geranlum, ! heheld
~ '''N' ''''' ''''i 1922
los" I" the margin of the water. knee
't''n pa lhr i"WrrS ana tan pampaS grass.
Ii-l where the Whll" ana yellow pond
Hit'- mingled WIN NE rlch-c"i"red bios
-"lil9 "l ll" lowered prt'I''r, was a FhIId
i4lli' hiilf'-pHn miguel hope ana
-'l0 own ne - me ana IT'S allrrtl"hS
h"'W ne N.fe IlUI" golden mead at
''''f. h"l lht Roy stood rooted 10 inc
-ntand trm~liNrd 10y terror, cronched
'""n. ~, hInr eyes, Illated by mortal
ar H\eh on something huge ShapelcsS.
th' i"'th' tlhl gre" nearer ana nearer yet,
-T'h ana m"hS'f"nN thlng That had more
tIf 'Sl'0i n a lafTe ~, gllstehlng with
sunny hiuH- man OF any 'llhg else. what
4 'i' ~ n luis li'a' TIT 'F,t"I"h "ui from
'", ''''N' illl2'" WIN nu9he' on me llu-
wy ,t'ia iii' = ri"'hNliN Hlilholh@ lhe
''i''h N''H q" wa" hurry 81 us ungaihlV
''N "iI"," i'T' an tili@1'"r''N ileaVeh
wy SI''''l,@ hiI2"t @IiT'en on
'~ uN nl'h' una me l"rillldtble Jaws
~" 'N" "S!'HN 'li' curved 10" Oh me
"lif ''''l'' - win us fruei req
't' nN''t UPON Y prey y appioached me
i"t "I''i' Ni2"" lle 'tle'i chii"' lf"|en ny
r" 'Ilt' 'te"'cd MN lh' power TO nee:
nun, 'h'i'I'' run rum toward me |
"'" -N"'ii' n 'ile S'iilit nm, ur3ing my
H'' low ''' "1HN- ne niue leli"W
''''' KIM l't" Ei'e toward me- ana reco@-
.'l'' ln', '',. lear was sun loo potent
WHIP h''''' ai" I, renamed "h'fr ne was,
lfi4- "iI q" MufN af"urt"h 1" save
'.in. i'tohrd "a INC spurs r"Wr' deep
i' n one i"ahH came crashing through
i' ih'i"drhdr"hN !" within some thre"
~ '"a' ieri "i iilt place where the child
-'.'l
ii' "tli@A,"f wheeled angrlY rouhd, to
'i'Ii 'i' me intruder who 'iArrd to come
-lNrrn hlm amd hl~ i""th>ome supper;
.'d .hN morse. driven Wiid with terror At
~ ~'2h' ahi ~mrIi "i the monSirnuS rep
'' t"'tr'i. '""IEed, ana threw me, gal
lHiinE ~ ilkf a mad creature. was on
ut '-'' lu moment. and had Just time to
'" myself between tn" alligator and
'' ''A l"!"it me b!""'lhf>tY Jaws could
..'-' w n" if~t Fatal snap. The brute re-
'ili'd "a lllic, Tor ailgatorS are cOWardlY
As Well aS ilercr. and have been known to
watch for hours M their reedy ambush,
allowing men 10 pass them nnin ured. un-
liirA c"nId p"nnrr securely on woman
"r 70 child. liut the reptiles slow blood
IVA hcrn i"p much stirred, lay the eNpec-
iiI"H cd an easy triumph, f" permit him
z" decline HE fight, and he crawled in up
"n me. n'terih% the hoarSe cry, hall-roar,
hall- Wnlmperlhg moan, that Il cahman
2i1tH hndrr me sung OF pam or fury.
had my ~htath-knlle out, strong
i"ule-ed@rd blade of Barcelona steel
"'iii z cross handle and buckthorn hiatt
Nnl tln~ seemed poor weapon against
-lch toe bV a nasty impulse one of those
Nir-ShNlh@ thoughts that come upon us al
moments - extreme peril a> IT they were
tl' hi7Pcfhl@s "t lnaPlriiion-l tore the
"i'r W""irn p"ncho iIom my shoulders -
htFliy, ! had adopted the New Spain
~jNi" "l dfeSs-and, wrapping the mantle
'n"''nd me Tough handle Of my whalebone
f"lh"- whip forced IT between the ALI
Eii"1 law~ a. ne closed with me, while
Al NE sane 'iihe, bending forward struck
nara vain my two-edged knife AT his white
lh'"at' winch was comparatively unpro-
."''e1- pc iirst stab told Tor the white
~i"'k was soon crimSoned with blood
hul '"r second stroke tailed, for the knife
hppriand ratified uselesSly on the armor-
lh'ne> % the creatures mailed back and
lheh began q struggle for death or lite
hel"ern my terrible antagonist and my
~'h. Ny strength was nothing to that Of
me mug" reptile ana ir't myself dragged
!" il9ht ihh i'li - u hio becn rat in
me SllPe ol Il terrier, yet held on fast
!" me whaItb"ne handle OF the whip,
Whlie me Nh"fp Teeth vanly CRASHED and
tore ~ me sponSy wool that cloSged them