Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-29
IN THE JAWS OF AN ALLIGAToR.
Narrow Escape of Clinch County Bov.
ILL.,. t.


Capt. K. h. johnson. of Cllncn county,
writes us thee following particulars OF a
desperate struggle with a monster alli-
gator, in which his little son. Joseph,
played an unwilling part. 1t seems that
Henderson's mill pond, near the northern
part of the county, had nearly dried up,
and one daY last week was chosen by the
neighhors for a SEEMING frolic- Captain
johnson. with his little son, joined p or
so others i'm the undertaking, as it was
known that trout and the various fish of
the perch family were to be had in great
quantities BY the going. The party were
supplied with nets, gigs and other appll-
ances. and were soon scattered here and
there over the now shallow pond playing
havoc with the inny tribe.
Master Joseph carried bag, or corn
sack. in which to deposit the fish when
caught. When loaded with as many as
be could carry he would take them out
and make a deposit and return for more.
In making one of these trips, while Wad-
ing through water about three feet deep,
some distance from the fishermen, mon
ster alligator, said to be of unusual size,
rose suddenly right at the boy and seized
him by the thigh. 4 desperate struggle
ensued-the boy battled for his life and
the alligator for his prey. 1t so happened
that the bag, which hung by the boys
side, was caught in the aligatOr's mouth
with the thigh, and it proved a sort of
shield-lessening greatly the incis-
ions made by the brute's teeth,
and thus, perhaps, preventing a shock
to his nervous system which might
have made him succumb without the
struggle which saved him his life. By an
effOrt-One of those superhuman efforts
which come to men when only facing
death-the boy tore his bleeding flesh
from the alligatOr's jaws. The monster
grimly held to the sack moment with
the delusion, perhaps. that he still had
his prey, affOrding the boy an opportunity
for escape. He had hardly extricated
himself from the jaws of death before the
fishermen, alarmed by the struggle, were
at hand, and another battle ensued.
Thirty men armed with gigs, poles, pocket
knives and such other instruments of war
as were at hand, charged upon the mon
ster. Being in three feet of water the ga
tor had considerable advantage, but those
men had their blood up and were not
to be Outdone. They poled and punched
and harpooned him until the brute
was almost outdOne, when one of the par
ty made bold TO seize him by the tail.
This was a signal for a general assault.
In less time than it would take to tell it a
number of the more daring had him by
the tail and legs. There were too many
of them for the gator TO slap around with
his tail, peculiar mode of gator war;
fare, and he had to give up the fight. A
harpOon was plunged into his mouth and
then it was safe to approach with pocket
knives. Soon his head was severed from
his body and the victorious party marched
out of the pond with the monsters head
on pole. Fortunately a physician was
among the party and he at once dressed
the boys wounds. Captain johnson
writes us that Master Joseph, while he
suffers much, is doing well, and will like
" be out soon.