The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-01-03
Alligator In Florida.


Lake, to hunt alligators. We had !.
cured the service of a darky with "a,
boat, and embarked at the sink in
Paine's Prairie. This sink is simply a
hole in the ground where the waters Of
Noonan's Lake disappear, or rather
used to, as for some reason it has become
partly stopped up, SO that the water has
set back and overfows thousands of
acres. Consequently, we had so far to
row that, before we got into the stream
or regular outlet of the lake, it began To
grow dark. After lots of hard work
and trouble we became fairly bewildered,
and finally struck in the midst OF ham,
mock about IL O'Clock at night and
still mile or two to go. We tied up
the boat and struck out for higher
ground; but, as it didn't seem to dry ND
much, we rolled up some logs to make a
foundation above water. After pSllno
on lots OF dry weeds and grass, itihade
a seat, but didn't suit us for camp; SO
climbing the stub of tree that had a
great amount of Spanish moss hanging
on it, we pulled down several armfuls.
and hung the festoons thick on sticks
stuck in the ground aronnd our camp
bed, leaving one side open next tothe
fire our darby had kindled. When all
was done, we had a camp, or hut.
that was both original and comfortable
Some time in the night our flre began
to burn low; 50 / tramped off in the |
outer darkness after wood. Looking
back at our moss-covered hut, lit ND by
the fire in front, it looked like an inn
mense bunch of wool. In hole in one
side sat Phinney, my comrade, with his
elbows on his knees, in deep study
thinking perhaps of the probable time it
would take to build the Gainesville and
Charlotte Harbor Railroad. On thu OBJ
post side OF the fire from where Phiu-
ney sat, found our darby jackson.
sound asleep-a small log Of wood I'M
der his neck, head thrown back. mouth
irst-rate. -
We would have slept pretty well, but
or the night-noises peculiar to Florida
wamp. The roaring of the alligators,
md the hootings. howlings and fiendish
aughter of night-birds and animals, are
cry apt to give character to mans
lreams according to what denomination
4 SundaV-SchOOl he was hro,,rvhf ~ |
nder.
Next morning we nnsbed ON ,,,, int
he lake. the shores Of which as s.. ~.
re could see. were lined with tsn
ypress-trees, the branches all heavily
angling down sonsat;y,aI - .-n:r :
,asses fifteen to twenty faet TIL aee !
as somber and rather indascr;hah he q
was warm and somewhat st;, 1I" J"n :
nd the gentle swav;nc - tha ,s 49, , - =
lossv streamers gave the $3.50 g."
noe of melancho,y as 70 @ soeueiy e
raped for some Great s',nero go w. was =
he water was Of a reddish color 1;ttIs a
ke an Infusion of tan-barL TIKI I
,cribed to the cypress-roots orow;nr me- - = =
Ie water. ~ - swung :" Il
Rowing SLOWLY and ou;et,v alone 81. II
ore, as the gators are m;;ts shr wv, no m
gan to see floating around -h.s m
oked like logs OF wood w;th .tLs n
ugh bark and Knots sticking abn ~, !,
. Surface ~ 81, ,.sts '.,SAS roove Z.
2 like two knots-wh;ch. as we % esvoa n,
J, would Quietly disappear 81 ~ a,
wn with a splash. One bnno foi,os pt
ming from the edge of t6e shore su
ssed under the boat. where the wste,. tie
IS only two or three feet deenNnst Enc 50
: boat rock; his bio ewes ioolaS III
,iously enough up at ms az be no sssJ NJ
der. '' on
Pretty soon we came in SIGHT Of a on
ip of an island of half floating hon- up
! or Ely-pad roots and m1d 76<SS;s Ira
re dozen or more pioantic sanr;ens sill
ose long jaws, with narrow mules m,
rked them as genuine specimens of we
crocodile, varying in LENGTH from br
to 20 feet. When we got too near 70 mi
+, they gradually slid Of in the water pu
lting around the boat. secm;nolv on It ,
rs to know what sort of heincs wo fro
Re. Several times Phinney raisad his br,
. to shoot; but whispered sHold me
Don't shoot yet! Here is 4 show it.
L: Barnum can't give, and probably ~
old Snowman would give half q dol da,