The daily gazette., 1875-08-09
a NARROW ESCAPE.
Il Father Rescues Ess Child
from the Clutches of an AlIi-
gator.

Last Saturday week about sun-down,
four miles east of Hansborro, La, on
Biloxi Bay, occurred a scene calcnla.
ted to send thrill OF horror through
every human heart, and to make even
the boldest tremble with fear. Two
little girls, daughters of MIR. Elama R.
Blackwell, living on the back bay OF
Biloxi, while bathing in the bay Inn
mediately In front of his dwelling,
were attacked by anenormous alligator.
The elder, girl about seven yearso old,
holding the youngest, an infant of two
years, In her hands, was quietly enjoy.
Ing her bath, when suddenly her little
sister was snatched from her and
borne swiftly from the shore.
Terrified beyond measure, and una
BILE TO render any assistance to her un-
fortunate sister, the elder girl uttered
. scream, which was quickly caught
by the ear Of her father, who happen.
ed, accidentally, to be passing within
thirty or forty yards Of the spot where
his daughters were bathing. Rea1iz-
Ing instantly, from the tone of the
voice, that his children were in some
peril, but unable to conjecture its ex-
act nature, Mr.. Blackwell, who is an
active and athletic man, rushed rapidly
to their assistance, and arrived Of the
spot just In time to discover his little
little daughter being borne out into the
bay by an alligator. Comprehending
the acene at once, and nerved 10 almost
superhuman effort by the desperate sit
nation of bis child, the agonized fa.
ther leaped madiy into the water in
pursuit of the would-be DESTROYER of.
his daughter, which was then some o5
or 30 yards from shore.
The water, for a distance of 40 or so
yards out into the bay frem the point
where the children were bathing,
ranges in depth from one and half to
two fees, and then suddenly attains
depth Of 40 or 80 feet, and both the
animal (which by this time had discov-
cred the pursuit) and the father SEEM
ed to realize that the deep. water i'm
mediately In front of them once
reached, pursuit and recovery would |
be alike impossible; both, therefore.
redonbled their efforts, the one to
reach the point, the other to. prevent |
It. In this struggle, although sinking
to his waist In the soft mud at the |
bottom at each bound, the father was
He succeeded in graspinp
his child by the arm about ten feet
from deep water. The alligator. which
Ill the while held the child's foot In Its
mouth, ,perceiving itself overtaken, and i
and confused by the boldness
Of the assault, released its hold and
made its way rapidly into the deepI
water In front of it. - '3f -
The father, completely exhausted, |
'aised his child out of the water. and |
that II still lived, by despe-
ate effort succeeded In regaining the /
'horc and tlepositing the child safely
"A the arms of Its mother. The little |
girl is unhurt with the exception of a
,ouple Of bruises on Its foot, made by |
he teeth of the msnster.
Mr. Black we'll says the only way that
le can account for his child not being
is that at every 80 or 40 feet
he alligator would raise itself In the
water and allow the child's head to
'ome out. AT these intervals It would
cream, and evidently breathed enough
o maintain life. ae'aA e ~.