The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-01-19
AN ALLIGATOR HUNT.

| lOU say LflaU alligator uuutilB ID NCiJ GIG
waiting or refined sport or worthy to be
highly ranked in sporting annals, 1t Is,
however, sufficiently exciting to give sat
isfaction to one who cares more for ex-
citement than for noble game.
was down in the terra calientes rs it
is called, on business, for number of
weeks and had been stopping for few
| days is little village, the greater por-
ton of the population of which was made
ur of Indians and low class Mexicans.
The village was located on the large es-
tate of my friend, Senor D., by whom
nearly all the people were employed i'll
| various agricultural and mechanical pur-
suits.
The village was in a narrow part OF the
valley on the banks of vertable sluggish
tropical stream. Sedges, grass and trop
ical brushes and trees lined the waters
| edge. The stream was known to be in
| tested with alligators which were often
| seen.
Frequently dogs and horses and cAttle
were known to have been made away with
by these scaly denizens of the water and
; close watch was kept for the greater
part of the time dpon the depredators.
OF late it seemed that they had grown
| more bold, and while I was there, reports
came in of more serious nature than
heretofore, to the effect that the voracious
monsters were beginning to feed upon
human beings as well as animals. An
Indian who had ventured out into the
stream was seized and dragged under in
sight of his companions on the bank, and
little child playing beside the river one
day was carried off by monster that
must have crawled out of the water to
capture his prey.
All these mishaps, both to the brutes
and to the human beings, occurred in one
locality, where the curve of the bank
| made a sort of sheltered and shallow
bayou. An old alligator was seen much
about this place and it was generally be-
lieved that he alone was the man. eating
monster.
The men of this village decided that
his alligatorship must be got rid Of
How to accomplish this the most effect
ually was the only question. Luiz, the
stalwart, swarthy porter of the house of
Senor D., whose guest [ was, was called
into council. He was known as great
hunter and the hero of a score or more
alligator contests.
Under his direction corps of dozen
picked men was made up in the village
One moonlight night they repeated to
him and under his command they pro-
ceeded to the place where his lordship,
the alligator was supposed to be lying in
wait for any chance prey. As special
favor [ was invited to accompany the
| party as spectator, and not an active
participant.
All the men were well armed with
rifles. In addition they had several
spears and harpoons in the party. Luiz
had in his arms young sucking pig and
two others of the men carried lot of
freshly-killed bullock's meat, with the
blood still dripping from it.
/ was inclined to chaff Luiz somewhat
for going out to fight an alligator with
fresh meat and a young pig. But the
fellow maintained calm and imperturb
able exterior and put on an air of con-
scious superiority, as much as to tell me
that he knew his business better than I
did. as he had killed a score of alligators
while l had never yet seen one killed.
The strictest quiet was enjoined and
our two miles tramp was performed in
almost absolute silence. AS we neared
the spot more and extra precautions were
taken for fear we might alarm our wiley
enemy. The men were given their sew
eral positions about the bayou, and fur
ther preparations were quietly and active.
ly made.
First Luiz took his pig and tied it with
his lariat to tree that stood upon the
bank overhanging the bay. A little food
was given the animal to keepit still until
| the time for action should arrive.
Then the fresh meat was divided into
dozen or more big pieces. One was
placed on the bank near the pig. Just
! below this bank nearly on a level with
the waters edge was broad level space
of considerable extent. In front of this
was an embalkment few feet high built
for the purpose of keeping the water
back for some reason or other. In front
ing beach.
Just within the embankment Luis
placed two pieces of meat and another
tempting morsel on its summit. Two
more pieces were deposited on the beach,
and several others were quietly thrown
| into the river up above short distance
so that they might float down toward the
| bayou.
Eor time there We're no indications
OF the desired game. The men up river
quietly threw in the pieces of meat from
time to time, and Luiz standing beside
| his pig, pinched the animal SO that his
shrill squeals burdened the night air.
Now there is nothing that an alligator
likes as well as young sucking pig
I.uiz' little game soon had its desired
effect, for we soon heard a heavy splash
ing in the water, that we knew indicated
! the presence of the alligator. Looking
out on to the moon-lit stream We could
see dark shadow moving slowly up.
The decisive moment is at hand
Presently the shadow stopped. A piece
iZzf L ~ ~ - -