Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-09-14

ing meat-that is the bait. and the pen
| is made only to prevent the gator from
getting at it in any other way than by
the door where the trap is. The first
stake on each side of the door has notch
es cut in it, like the spindle of q, squir-
rel trap, and across these, just above
the surface of the water. is the bar or
trigger. Now this pen must be built
near the bank where q large sapling
grows, and the tree is bent over and
fastened to the trigger with stout piece
of rope or chain, while just Under it, in
T Alter all this has been done Jimmie
and his father go away toattend to some
other work, OF make another trap, land
wondering how he shall get his dinner.
and whether. he must 90 very far for it.
Then he, smells the, meat, and he prob
ably thinks a new Restaurant has been.
started there, SO he aswirns along verv
cautiously with just the tip of his nose
out Of the water, totsee what the new.
place Hooks like He sees the meat,
and there is no. one near SO q he
thinks he will sneak in and steal it;
but just as he gets his head in,
and raises himself out Of the water a
little to. seize the bait. his back hits the
/ trigger, throwing it out of the notched
stakes, and the thief is very much sur
fprised at finding a, stout rope securely
tied around his body just back of his
fore legs. IS esaF Aaa at.faa q lias~ s.r4.54 N
| OF course he thrashes about in the
water, and raises a. terrible. fuss, but
there he is. and there he has to stay
until Jimmie and his father return.
The prisoner can swim around in
such a circle as the rope will permit.
and in order to get him out of the water
it is necessary to have him fastened
securely, or he would do a great deal of
mischief. The trappers wade out in
the water, and watch their opportunity
to get'a rope around the captive's tail
After thisis done, it is fastened to some
thing on the shore, and then Mr.. ALI.
gator cannot swim around, but. is
stretched out very nearly in a straight
line, when it is not difficult to get
another rope around his jaws. His legs
are then bent. up over his back and
fastened together, after which a stout
stick is dashed from the end of his nose
to the tip of his tail, which prevents
him from bending his body. He is then
lifted into the boat, for to drag him to
the shore while he is insuch helpless
condition would be to drown HIM. Is N
One day last year, Jimmie's father
left him on Black Creek, which runs
into the St Johns River, above Jack
SONY lille. while he went to the city to
sell some gators. His father had not
been gone very long when Jimmie saw
a big alligator crawl out of the water and
arrange himself snugly in the sand for ]
nap. Jimmie knew the old fellow was
too big for him to attempt to catch
alone; but, thinking what nice prize
he would have to show his fatherin case
he succeeded, he resolved tomake the at
tempt w aiting until he was sure the
gator was asleep, Jimmie .crept softly
up to him, and had nearly got the rope
around his tail when the alligator awoke.
= The first thing he did was, to swing
his tail around, and he struck the boy
on the legs. The force OF the blow was
broken by the rope, or Jimmie would
not have been alive to tell about it; but
it hurt him SO much that it was only
with the greatest difficulty he managed
to tie the knots, and then when he crept
out of the angry monsters way the old
fellow was SO near him that he tore his
coat off with his teeth. = It was some
llucsUelOIo LIZ UOy was dUlc W COLI
tinue the attempt of making the ALI
gator captive; but he did succeed after
a while, and when Mr.. Davis returned
he found Jimmie watching a prisoner
that was nearly twelve feet long.
Jimmie once gave three alligator eggs
to a hen which was very anxious to have
some chickens, and after she had nearly /
killed herself setting on them three OF
the oldest looking babies that old hen
ever saw crept out and started on a
journey for the water. Biddy had no
idea of losing her young ones after she
had had SO much trouble to hatch them,i
and she did all she could to prevent
them from leaving the nest; but as fast
as she could roll one back with her beak
the other two would be toddling off at
their fastest speed, which so discouraged
the hen that she gave up the task after |
she had worked hard several hours,
clucking disconsolately as the ugly |
looking youngsters scrambled into the |
water. Il f Y ~ |
Sometimes Jimmie has two or three |
hundred of these odd chickens in his |
coop, all of which he has raised himself, |
for during the summer there is very |
little demand for them; but as. soon as |
the tourists come in the winter. he dis |
poses of his brood without any difficulty. |
james OTIS. an Vide AaO0ke. /
k+-as tssaf 9.a Essys Il
An EouIn with q HiSfnrvs4 .st |