The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-18
The Alligator Brigade.

as a last point supply. Palmetto forests or
swamps as far as the eye can reach ex-
tend on ridges or small elevations of
land. A party We're camped out in
thick grove Of these trees, cutting about
hree feet Of the top Of the tree to be CON
verted into brushes, mattresses, etc, at
Jacksonville. This seems to be the only
practical use as yet discovered to which
this tree can be put. Mile after mile and
still the same low fiat country. Inumer-
able species Of herOns are to be seen on
all sides-blue, white, green and mottled,
(blue and white.) Still vending our way
through a canal, apparently bounded on
both sides by rustling palms; while the
moon rises in majestic splendor to en-
iven the scene. On, on, floating on
crystal mirror, when ''hallOov" and as we
turn bend, camp of tourist come into
view; comfortable and cheerful they look
in the bright moonlight A few miles
further and anchor was cast for the
night. The first alligator fell to the lot
of Commodore Root. whose Sharpe's rifle
seldom fails him, and measured exactly
ssven feet and nine inches. DR.. Buckley
contributed to the larder six fine bass, one
of which weighed over five pounds. The
number Of fish caught depends simply on
the time you wish TO devote to it, the
water fairly teeming with bass, brim,
perch, mullet and many other varieties.
Early on the morning of the 18th, we
came in sight of Cooks landing and the
beautiful Lake Harney, said to be one of
if not the prettiest lake on the st. Johns
river. A ferry is located here, and there
is situated on the right bank of the river
on an elevated plateau of land, an Indian
mound, relic of that mysterious race,
the mOundbuilders, whose mounds in
various forms are found on all parts of
the North American continent. The
writer was anxious to land and inspect it,
but it was limited that ''gatOr hunting"
was more practical, so with a mental
reservation to take look at it later, the
''gator" business was attended to, and
self-deniaI was rewarded by the second
alligator falling to the writer's
rifle Only three feet nine inches,
it is true, but still "a gator. We
steamed through Lake Harney, tieing up
at Mansfeld's landing to test the fishing
and hunting, We had the pleasure of a
visit from Mr. Mansfield, who is an ex-
cellent specimen Of the hardy pioneer
A start was made next morning for Com
modore or Long Bluff. To describe the
river would be simply to say one vast
marsh with innumerable channels in any
and all directions as far as the eye can
reach, a vast solitude, seemingly created
but to produce fish fowl andreptiles But
who knows in these days of progress
how soon some drainage scheme may
not canal this vast plain, and reclaim it
for the purposes of cultivation. Puzzle
Lake is indeed puzzle, and the pilot
seems to take exactly the wrong channel
to get out of it, but at last we did, and
tied up at the desired stopping place.
During the day two alligators were tax
en-, one eight feet three in length, and
the other, six inches longer. early to
bed, etc, ," is good maxim, but as ap-
piled to this night, it did not work
Slap! slap! and words not loud but
deep" broke the silence of the night,
and sleep, except in the case of Commo-
dore Root, (who triumphed forth the
fact in q nasal manner) was banished for
the night. There is no doubt that FlOri-
da mosquitoes mean business-as a rule
they do not waste much time in singing
hymns, but proceed in a mosU practical
manner to execute the purpose for which
they come. Mr.. II. F. Lungrin and Mr..
Christian, with an assistant, were camp
ed on the bluf-they We're after alliga-
tors with vengeance, having killed,
skinned and salted the hides of two hun
dred and forty-eight, in three weeksM
Verify the gator ''must goat that rate
together with the destruction of eggs and
young, the slaughter of females during
summer, and the murderous habit of fire
hunting at night, as practiced by native
hunters-like the buffalo, they are DOOM
ed-a same law should protect them at
certain seasons, as well as all the game
of the state, and be rigidly enforced.
DR.. Buckly came to the front next
morning with magnificent string of
fish, (bass) one weighing over seven
and one half pounds. Three alHgators
were captured, measuring six feet nine
inches, six feet and nine feet two inches,
besides a large number of bitterns, cur
lews, herons, etc,
The same immense marsh, the same
innumerable channels, alligators, snakes,
birds; when very unexpectedly, in the
hush of the evening, we pop into Lake
Poinsett. Later you may hear from us
again. One of the
ALLIGATOR BRIGADE.
LOGAN.-John Logan's 5-year-old grand