Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-12
NO. 90
sHARING AN ALI.I0AroR.

4 +.
IA correspondent, who has besn Ash-
ing il the Florida WATERS, tells in Forsse
and Stream Of his adventure ii snarilK
IN alligator. eve procured he ssynI
IN strong scven-eighths manilla rope,
forty feet long, small halter chain
Twisted links), eight feet long, and
piece Of well seasoned hickory. The
latter We cut to u length Of eight inches,
leaving the diameter one and a.haif
inches, and we sharpened each end. At
the center we girled IL with i quarter
inch groove, leaving tho diameter still
one inch. The stick Of wood we We
curely fastened to the link. TO the
other end Of the chain our rope was
fastened. Our snare now had the al,-
pearance Of q cap T with the upright
stoke very much elongated. We now
procured ten-pound chunk Of beef,
iuto which wc securely fastened the
piece Of hickory, and then, bringing emo
end Of tho stick parallel with the chains
we fastened it there with bit Of yarn.
Repairing to the reserve we selected
q spot, secured our rope to o pino tres
growing near Its edge, and then by tho
aid Of q canoe we carried the bait out
as far as tho rope would permit. To
insure the floating Of the bait near the
surface Of tho water, we laid the rope
across five-foot strip Of plank. Ev-
erything completed, we retired to await
developments. Early next morning We
we're at tho reserve, and there, surc
enough, we had u gator fast, aud judg
ing from the muddy condition Of ths
water, he was whopper, and had been
there some time. The rope was NOV
ing through the water in quite u rapid
manner, and without fastening it we
made phil with all orr strength, bnt
wo might as well have tried to lift an
elephant by the tail. After much talk, Is
was suggested and agreed to that we
make use Of a small wagon and a pair
Of mules belonging to the party. i
went for the team, and in my haste did
not take time to put the body on tho
wagon, it having been removed for
the purpose of hauling wood. Hastily
throwing q plank across the holsters
seated myself and drove over TO where
the party awaited me. The rope had
been secured by slip--low, without
passing it around tho tree, 80 we had
only to fasten the loose end to tho axle
and drive away, and thus slip the knst
and make direct pull on tho gator.
After securely fastening this rope to the
ale, ] seated myself on the plank, and
gave tho mules the slack. The mules
were young, fiery and hardly broken to
harness, and had repeatedly run away,
endangering our lives Oh more than enc
occasion; bnt we had not thought Of
this in our excitement. For % moment
after starting the team, there was -
strain on the rope, and then out came
tho huge monster, covered with mud,
and lashing the water into foam with
his tail, the noise he made resembling to
some extent the beatings of huge pro-
peller. The mules both looked around;
and as they did SO, the monster gave y
roar that made the very earth tremble.
The team, alligator and your humble
servant, started for home. The distance
was two miles, and think if Rams had
seen us, he would have left the track
with broken heart. The mules left thc
road--in fact, made new one without
the aid Of o surveyor--and that alligator
bounded in tho air az he never bounded
before. Now and then, he would rap
against tree, but he scarcely touched
tho ground, and had serious fears for
q while that, in hisapxiety to 20 ahead,
he might put a head Oh me; however,
we reached home at last, and the mules,
completely winded, stopped Of their own
accord. When we came to sum up, We
found all the run taken out of the
mules, one tire gone, three spokes in an
other wheel broken-in fact, the wagon
wreck. Ny suit Of clothes was torn
to rags, and my person bruised, torn and
bleeding by the terrible whipping Of the
trees and bushes over which we passed.
A fourteen-foot alligator with every bone
broken, was almost skinned by his con-
slant banging against the trees"
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