The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-22
Florida AlligatOrs,

The alligators are mostly of the red-eyed
species, which are noted for their size
and ferocity, and, when met on land, are
not much disposed to turn out of their
course for anything, so that not many
people care to meet them in their ram
bles. An immense fellow, who lay
about two hundred feet from the shore,
allowed us to paddle within one hun
bred feet of him, so that l had fine
view of his vicious eyes and general
ugliness. 1t was fully two feet from his
nostrils to his eyes, and he must have
been nearly or quite twelve feet long.
AS we approached nearer he settled
slowly out of sight, sinking so easily as
not to cause ripple upon the almost
CLASSY surface of the waters as he disap-
peared. 1t seems that these strange
creatures are almost as much at home on
land as in the water and, contrary to my
previous understanding of their habits,
they are frequently found mile from
any body of water, especially at night,
when they wander about from one pond
or lake to another. They are very de-
structive of stock, and are especially
fond of hogs, and, as all stock runs at
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numbers of them. Calves and yearlings
are also afavorite diet ofthese monsters,
and even full-grown cows and steers are
frequently pulled into the lake by them
and devoured. Whenever you see
bob-tail cow in Florida, which is not I'M
frequently the case near the numerous
lakes and ponds, it is safe to presume
she has been wrestling with an alligator,
and would, if she could. "atale unfold"
A gentleman living about two miles from
Lochloosa Lake. told me that on one oc-
casion he was driving a lot of cattle
across a stream that empties into it,
when all at once they commenced run
ming and believing. Running forward
he saw that an immense alligator had
seized fine yearling, not by the tail, but
by the body, being so large that it had ac-
tually grasped the yearling's body in his
mouth, as pig would an ear of corn.
And although, he could not, of course,
raise it from the ground, he did by his
weight and the strength of his huge jaws
crush it to the earth. The owner of the
animal tried to make the gator let go his
hold by striking him over the head with
his COW whip. Failing in this he rode rap
idly back for his gun, and was followed on
his return by his dog. By this time the ga
tor had released his hold, and the year
ling lay in the road nearly dead. Riding
up within twenty feet, the gentleman
discharged heavy load of buckshot at
the alligator's head, which only served
to infuriate the brute, and he at once
made rush for the dog. Thereupon
the gentleman approached until he could
almost touch the gator with the muzzle
of his gun and discharged the other bar
rel at a point Just back of the shoulder
causing the animal to retreat into the
bushes, and he was found next morning
on the shores of the lake stiff and dead.
He measured fifteen feet in length.
Alligators are being hunted very eX-
tensively of late for their teeth and hides.
Their teeth are mounted with gold and
made into earrings, necklaces, watch
charms, ETC., and are worth from one dol
lar to five dollars perpound. The hides are
worth from one dollar to one dollar and
fifty cents each, green. Over four hun
dred have been killed in Lochloosa Lake
alone. Fire hunting at night is the most
successful mode of capturing them, if
not the safest. Two men and boat are
required. One paddles, while the other
has an immense bull s-eye lantern fast
ened on top of his head, the light of
which attracts the gators to the surface
and blinds them so that the boat can be
run right against them. Then the man
with the light thrusts the muzzle of a
heavy caliber rifle within six inches of
the creatures head and fires, immedi-
ately proceeding to haul him aboard,
to which effort the gator lends what
strength he has left; his great desire on
being mortally hurt is to get out of the
water. And if he once feels the boat
after being shot he will attempt to climb
in himself if not entirely dead. A native
alligator-hunter whom l met on the
shore of the lake yesterday, told me that
he had seen as many as eight gators at
one time during one of these night
hunts, and that he could hear and feel
their noses plump against his boat as
they swan rapidly toward the light,
their eyes being too much dazzled to
distinguish the boat until they ran
against it. On coming so abruptly in
contact with the boat sides, they would
back off a little distance to investigate
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