The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-12-25
IN ALLIGATOR STORg.

| An NILLIG1TON STOR1.
Some Facts About the Iiubits OF the Rent tfl c.
low They Aiay be Cnpturc.l-Onc Follow
That Gave Trouble to Those Trying tt
Catch Him.
WRITTEN For THE NEWS AND HERALD.l
For twcmty-scvcn years. in the good
old dntc-bel1"m times, | lived with my
family at our Green Island Home al
the head of st. Helena Sonuu. Nor.
Ean's Island was Just seven miles from
the ocean, and from the fine light
house Oh Hunting Island, one of the
chains of islands extending from st.
Helena Sound TO Port Royal harbor,
From our piazza or parlor window
could any night be seen its beautiful
light, as, revolving its bright flasl,
around, less and less till almost out,
when, waxing brighter and brighter
!, again, the bright flash showed to the
, bcnightcd mariner, far out at sea,
his whereabouts and how to steer his
vessel safe through the reefs and shoals
and breakers on either side. But it
was an alligator story was to write.
We'll, OF these there were several large
ones whichin the winter and most ofthc
summer were in the ponds, from
which they often went into the creek
and river. On several occasions
have come up with small ones of three
and four feet, crossing the field, going
from ono pond to another, which l
have killed; but these old largo ones
walked only at night and were shy,
seldom giving one sight of them.
Somewhat remote from the road most
trcqucntcd was pond entirely hidden
from view by thick growth of pal
mctto, willow and other trees, matted
%jh y T} is A Japff 9 and adjRG jjRG 0 Xi%Gf Sic Snae nae
OF this pond, was little knoll with q
few myrtle bushes Oh which had been,
Two years before, the nest made of
grass, leaves and rushcs, Of one Of
these large alligators, which hatchcd
out q numerous brood. Standing on
tins Knoll, Pvc seen a dozen or more
OF the young ones measuring from six
10 twelve inches, swimming around
the holc-two or three of which have
wrapped up i'll my handkerchief, put
III my pocket and carried home for my
ch'ldrcn TO play with. The spring
after, maybe, having seen a large alli-
gator up out OF the water in this pond,
| one Wa"m spring day took my gun
loaded with No. 1 buck-shof. And
walked ont expecting to see her. I
crcpt noisclcssly through the MARGIN
and found her stretched off on The
shore, summing herself and, I Judged,
asleep. l aimed for the rear of thc
forclcg, which is the place to kill an
alligator. or course she plunged of
aud in an instant was III her hole.
which ran far and deep under the
knoll above mentioned. Three dnys
aiter one of tho hands coming out of
tho field found her walking in the
pasture, and seeing her disabled killed
rcr with his axe. don't remember.
but think she was eight and q half or
nine feet long and very stout. Until
then was not aware of tho fact, nor
90 l think it is generally known-thc
popularity Of the egg Of the alligator.
in which it differs from that Of the
turtle, terrapin and all other q,ladru-
pcas. 1t is onc-thirtl larger, white,
and looks likes tho English duck cpn.
but has no yellow or yolk. This one
had perhaps half bushel of eggs.
Killed larger ono afterwards in
another unircqucntcd pond on the
back of the island-but tho villainous
wretch meant to write about was
tho largest but one I had ever seen.
and prowlcd back and forth from tho
Back Creek which ran up from Com
Dahcc under the bluff on that side Of
the island; Il creek which ND hero
would be dcnomiMatcd river. From
TINS creek cove ran up and headed in
bold ditch which ran into the aforc.
said pond. The alligator was usually
to be seen in fair weather, living across
the creek, just above tho mouth of the
cove.
had often wished for a gentle.
docile dog which Pd feel easy in seeing
my cllildren playing with under tic
table-had been trying to obtain a
Newfoundland. But my old friend.
Captain Vincent, Of Charleston, sent
me a iinc setter pup which proved to
bo just such q dog rs / wished for
affcctionatc in disposition and attached
TO my children, growing up as he did
with them. He loved hunting and
delighted in going with the BOYS
shootlng: On one occasion when a
young friend was on q visit to nv
boys one ten, the other twelve years
and | had littlo fear of trusting them
with gun, two Of the boys took IN
their guns, when Dash, who was ever
on the watch, jumped up from where
nc was lying before tho fire, fondlcd
about their feet showing, by his whole
expression, countenance and tho wap
OF his tail, his delight at prospective
mnt. Soon as they had completed
their arrangements, they went off, the
dog running on before. Poor fcllowl
we never saw him again. The bows
had shot and broken the wing of q
oarlcW VII ch, II being low tide, ran
3 across the cove ut the Back Creek and
4 took tho river. Dash pursued It and
swan after It, when the boys, seeing
Z tho largo alligator on the otlcr side