Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-06-04

WY p'ou' VI my po"N'o 40 " S"''
mer in those days, aud started to
go across.
"Thrrr bundled yards is no great
distance, you will say, for good
swimmer to traverse in the water.
M; but with an Indian sun beating
down upon my uncovered head,
felt before ! had got two thirds of
the way over that | had made
bInndcr that might cost me my life.
| swan on, however, aud landed on
the sand bank with my head dizzy
and my eyes blurred-very fair in.
Iications that sunstroke WAS
threatening.
II had driftcd some distance
down the river, aud now ! walked
back, getting worse rather than
better, until was little way
above the point from which | had
started. In the middle of the river
was a small island, with few with.
cred palm trees on it, and TO this |
tried to swim. swan slowly, fire..
quently ducking my head under the
water: and when | was within sixty
or seventy yards of the down stream
end OF the island, and feeling in
better condition, | saw, coming
around point that jutted some dis
lance out from the side of the is.
land, what looked like the end of
a thick proomstick, floating per.
pendicularly down tho stream. |
didn't wait to examine 1t, for |
knew at the first glance that it was
the horn that rises from an aIliga.
tors nose. altered my course AT
once, swimming diagonally down
the stream. | passed the island,
and got over nearly third OF the
distance To the shore before | ven.
tured to look around. Up to that
moment the alligator had not seen
me: but before could resume my
race for the land part of the great
head surged heavily over the water,
and then, horribly and uDmistaka-
oily, the horn began to move to-
ward me.
IL began TO swim for my life,
with the odds altogether against
me. In half Il minute / looked
over my shoulder and saw that the
brute WAS covering three feet to my
one. lie was about sixty yards be.
hind me. aud the shore probably
eighty yards away. Ii was evident
that | had no chance; but swan
desperately. In a quarter OF min
ute | looked around again. The
alligator was very close to me then.
saw his eyes glistening, for he
had raised his head partly ont OF
the water, and | heard the slight
swasI of the river rs he forged
through it. But another sound
WAS in my ears tOO-a sound like
the ringing of bells and the beating
of blacksmith's hammer on the
anvil. Tho blazing sun and the ter
rihIr exrrtion were doing their part,
and knew that in few minutes
should be unable to swim any
further.
"Then came an inspiration-ih,
recollection of the triumphs | had
achieved in diving in days gone 10y
| was down in II second. OF course
remained under rs long rs ! could
When | came up was, perhaps
: fifty wards from the shore, ana
hasty backward glance showed M
that the alligator had stopped ol
losing sight of me, for had gained
. considerably in the race. lie saw
me the moment came to the sur
face, and was on my track again
r | swan few yards, but he was 81
, close to me that, though terrlbl.
tired, | went under again. l wa
f unable to stay under this time NOR
. than twenty seconds, bnt that too
, me fifteen yards nearer the shore
$ When | came up he did not see IN
/: So quickly as he had done before
G and ! swan a little distance betor
:, | saw him once more in pursuit.
G 81 was now hardly able to swim
!. and neither. had | strength to 6
r under. The reptile was so close
II the that expected every second
G feel his teeth, and in utter despa
Il stopped swimming and let do"
/. nv feet. They touched the bottom
e for the bank shoaled, and the waite
). was not higher than my wals
e With a last effort l plunged TO
4. ward. and at the same moment Il
IS alligator, feeling himself gettir
Y. into shallow water, surged arouu
d and swan away.
re- al think that should have thu
ne concluded the adventure by bell
re drowned in a foot and half
re water, for had not sufhcie
rs strength to stand on my feet; b
my friend and the driver rush