Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-18
FLORIDA ALLIGAT0RS.
From the Waverly MagaEine.l

Florida correspondent, | went alligG
hunting with Judge Emmons, of Jack
sonville. We found a twelve foot alli-
gator sleeping on the top of the water
about twenty feet from the shore, near
a small grove of palmettos. The Judge
put rifle ball directly through the al
ligator's skull The ball made a ter
rible hole. The alligator was as dead as
a mackerel. We slipped rope around
his shoulders, and towed him ashore.
While the monster lay in the water,
and we were debating as to how we
should get his head of, | jabbed stick
through the bullet hole down into his
brain. A colored man who was passing
by said:
Boss, you done be careful with dat
ah gaitah. He no gone dead yet. You
better stick your knife in he forepaw
to see eff he dead. He done do you
some mischief, boss, suah, if he nc
dead"
took my knife out of its sheath and
ran it into the alligator forepaw. The
monster lashed the water with his tail,
almost knocking the judge into the lake,
and nearly putting out my eyes. When
recovered my eyesight, l saw the
Judge, but not the alligator. The ami
NAL had sailed off, stick and all, and left
no track behind him.
The largest alligator in the State of
Florida can be found near Pepper Ham
mock on Banana creek, at the head OF
Merritt's island. This animal is known
all along the Indian river. Captain
Dummitt told me that this alligator is GER
tainly over twenty feet long. Dummitt
says that he has seen him in his present
quarters, off and on, over twenty-five
years. The captain thinks him at least
one hundred years old, and probably
more. Over dozen hunters have spent
days trying to kill him, but though some
have got shots at him, none have been
successful. His hide turns the bullets
as a duck sheds rain. His hole is under
high bank, and covered with growth
of moss and rushes. ! camped four
days at Pepper Hammock, and this alli-
gators roar kept me awake at night. 1t
sounded like distant thunder.
One morning DR.. Fox, my companion,
ran a wounded deer into the shallow bay
fronting the alligator's hole. A large
yellow dog called Bluster was on the
trail of the deer, and ran into the water
after him. When the alligator heard
the baying of the dog, he gave chase.
The doctor reached the bank and took
in the situation. AS he had wounded
the deer, and chasing it, and expecting
it every moment to drop, his rifle was
not loaded. He began to shout loudly
at the dog, and then ran into the water
after the alligator. The monster heard
the doctor coming, dropped the chase
ano fled into his hole. The doctor was
nncb excited. He thought the world of
The dog and said that he had almost
rather have lost a leg than have lost
If there is one thing in the world that
ON ALLIGATOR loves more than any other
one thing il is a dog. The bark of a
doc will frequently bring dozen alliga-
tors m the surface Of the water. Hunt
ers occasionally take their dogs on
horseback while crossing the shallow
water or very swampy place. When an
alligator hears the baying OF hound ne
always puts for a ford, if there is one IN
the vicinity, hoping to catch the dog
when he comes that way. Young col
cred children are also said to be rare
dainties for alligators.
The greatest alligator hole in Florida
q on the ocean side of the Indian river,
=, ,,ont twenty miles above Fort Capron.
T. . situated in a fresh water swamp,
bock IF dense growth Of mangroves.
This h, >le is about sixty feet wide at
The mouth, but it extends a great dis
tance under the ground, and appears to
Se a naradise for alligatOrs. IL is about
: ~ ,,;ie from i.'ttle palmetto hut, where
: : Gaorg;on Geo name,1 1 Estes has lived alor
Ger eileen wears. Estes protects tn
sIIigators and will alloS no one to sh
them. r C.u..;.
Watson of this place visited tae lower
end of lake Monroe to hunt stray hogs
The Captain is a little man, with sharp
gray eyes, and quick Of foot. Mhiie
roaming about over the marsh and nat
looiug for the hogs he was suddenly
seized bv an enormous alligator and
hurled in the mud. The alligator
caught him by the leg and stripped the
aesb 10 the bone. The old man was ter
ribly wrenched, and for long time ms
recovery was doubtful. ltwas SIX months
before he left his bed This is the only
veil authenticated case that came TO my
no,;ce in which an alligator attacked q
man. Some people think that while
Watson was walking over the marsh he
tool he alligator for a log and Jumped
on him. 1t Is certain that the animal
ssized Watson by the leg and nearly
broke the old mans back by a blow from
his tail.