Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-07-02

| csosooh Nuot tuib 10 uubb uUuuQH
length. The largest havo over sect
was ono which ! shot, measuring I
triae under fourteen feet.
Many are the ways employed to do
stroy them, the most common o
which is shooting them from q boat
Of this propose to speak, and like
wise Of mode seldom INDUCED in, II
is true, but which is attended with
considerable more excitement. AZ
A wide, fat-bottomed boat is oh
tained, with q negro for . guide anc
oarsman, and together with his riA,
our sportsman will do wcll to obtair
a puppy or two of somo worthless
mongrel breed to tempt tho appetit,
Of these shielded monsters. One wors
as to rine, for success greatly dc
pends upon the weapon used. Al
Express, o. 450, for instance, is incom
parable, but as such guns from first
class maker, Purdey, par example
costs from eighty to ninety pounds
exclusive OF duty, It Is not supposable
taat ai sPortsmen nave them.
snoaid tnen ADVISE an army Spring
neid, aiteIed 70 q breech-loader, and
correctly slghted. other r'hes, shoot
ing, as many OF them 90, mere squit
OF iPowder, are worse than useless.
a cam ana cioudloss day should DC
seiec'ed when the suns hot rays have
driven mat pest OF the South, the
mosquito, 70 the shades OF tho swamps
ana tne mud banks OF the marshes, OF
sne trip VIII 90 shorn OF all pleasure
from thelr oltes, and accurate rifle
practice, even at aliIgators, rendered
an 'mposSloll'y win several ailghting
constantly on your face and Others
dahcihg up ana down the leveled bar
reis 10 search OF a soft place to probe.
! tried II once on such q day, and as
sure you my recollectlons are by no
means pleasant.
But let us suppose ourselves on the
ground with our Express ready al an
instant's ictice. Several black look
ing knots are floating apparently on
the surface of the water some forty
odd yards down the bayou; these are
alligators and from their movements
they have evidently seen you. Fore.
ing your boat against the bank and
under the shade Of an old live oak you
make one of the puppies whine by
pinching his ear. Nirdbiie dictu /;
where there were only four heads pre-
viously visible, there are fully dozen,
and several are moving slowly toward
the boat where you sit gun in hand,
Two are now within fifteen steps,
when, cooking your gun, you rise to
your feet preparatory to shooting
But the old negro touches you on the
arm and in half whisper says: "Golly
massa, jis q look at dat big un yonder?'
Following the motion Of his hand
you 500 boad full double the sisc
OF either Of the two before you, be-
longing to a body that measures, per-
haps, fail nine feet. Your ambition
now is TO kill the larger, and You per.
nit the two in front to swim to and
fro and stare ut you with wondering
eyes. A few more whines, and tho
old chap comes ten or twelve steps
nearer. He is now thirty odd yards
away. Steadying yourself in the. boat,
you slowly raise your rifle to take
shot. You level the rife and glance
down the barrels only to see the old
fellows head sink from sight so quiet
ly that not ripple remains to mark
the spot.
"He fool you dat timo," says the
old darkey, the truthfulness Of which
you are forced to acknowledge. The
old chap has evidently been shot at
before, perhaps by some negro with
small shetland experience has made
him excessively wary.
A minute or two elapses, and bis
head is again visible few Yards
further off. You have in tho meant me
lost all interest 10 the others floating
around, and are determined TO first try
a shot at this patriarch of the herd
You again pinch the puppy's ears he
pays no attention now TO the sound,
and continues to move away. In des.
pair you hurl his puppyship to the
middle of tho narrow bayou and with.
in ten feet Of tho two small alligators
in front. AT the splash they go under
scared BY the noise but your intcnd
cd victim sees .he struggling dog and
turning ,ouhu, n,s oack cuts .oe wa
Yer nke tnc DOW VI = snip, wnhe 'nt
rpp'es 'ah from rignt 70 ,ei' as ne
parts tue water in Iropt ne IS nov
wltnin twenty yaros o. .ne ooa., Oh
eAPcc.eu PRIV 70 oeioro a,.', anu "
ass ao ,wo ,I;rds of h;s on,iro Isnn,h -
W. w. ,svsI ,hs r;aa 40 vnm Y;ss srd =,
s,ors ton sor a moment undecided wbe,ba,
oO ~ an,nn naor.r or not That nan q.
nrovod fatal A aasb. n ringing re
mort that awakens the echoes h, In,
adjoining swamps, and ere the liphr
cloud of smoke Il swept by the brees,
entirely away tho huge Ssurian turn,
bis white belly upermost, while th,
blood from the wound in tho head
where The light Express ball has tori