The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-01
COL. PRATT THROWN INTO THE
SHADE.
\ senator's Perii-Mr. Camden's
Thrilling Adventure with a Nom
ster Alligator


Senator Camden of West Virginia has
Just returned from hrief solourn in
Florida whittier he went to seek relief
from senatorial oyerwork. He i chock-
full OF stories about the adventures he
had In the land of orange blossoms.
One day. he said. Il went out hunt
ing alone. OF course. I'm not the man
to brag about my skill as q hunter,
but. between you and me. Tm no siouch
with gun. After killing few dear,
one or two bears. thirty or forty squirrels,
and . dozen or SO wild turkeys, con-
eluded TO return to the hotel. 1t Was
still early, but was tired packing round
my had oil game. was going along
the bank OF creek. and coming across
friendly log Thought l would cit
down and rest. laid my rifle and game
down BY the log and took seat. Ihad
lunch Of cold chicken in my haver-
sack. | had breakfasted at daylight.
and Was pretty hungry. So took out
the chicken and began to eat. When
had finished my repast took the pocket
knife had been using to cut the chicken
and drove ths blade into the log. Intend
ing to let it rest there until could get
out my pocket handkerchief and wipe
my hands. But, great Scott: You
ought to have seen that log. II was the
most sentative log ever saw. When |
drove my knife into it, quicker than
lightning II bumped itself like buck.
ing mule and gave me flap with its
little end that sent me sprawliny about
thirty feet away. Blame my buttons il
that log wasn't Florida alligator TWEEN
ty-eight feet long. with q tail like cross
cut saw and teeth as sharp and long as
tusks Of a boar.
''When scrambled to my feet and
looked at the log-I mean the alilga,or
there II was, standing rampant on its
feet. with eyes glaring and its teeth
grinding sayagely together. Idarod not
run. Tor was told never to run from an
alligator, as he would b. sure to pursue
and Overtake me. stood transfixed to
the spot. What did the alligator do +?
Keeping his gaze fixed steadily upon me,
he deliberately backed to where MY game
lay and pitched in. First he ate up the /
hears, then the deer. Smackiug his .
chops like a regulation boarding house
hash eater. he then turned ON the sauir. /
'ViS "uu wuu tuthcySp Nuu when Tic Sot {
through there wasn't hair nor feather
To liz seen. III undertake to sag that no
alligator ever before had such rare ban.
quot. How tho alligator held all that
feed don't understand, but he did.
When he got through there wasn't
thing left but my rifle. and he no.ed
arO"nd that for several seconds as IL lle
intended TO eat it. too, but he didn't.
What did he do then, Well. sir. that
alligator deliberately turned his tail 10
the bank, and keeping his eye on mo.
backed 10 the edge. Then. with a snort
antha below. he plunged tail foremost
into tho water. got to my rifle in thu.
fraction VI second. rushed TO the edge
and looked down. was painting for
revenge, but ! couldn't see anything but
a succession Of waves impelling cac,
other toward the other shore. The ALI
gator was at the bottom Of the stream.
stayed there an hour watching for him.
but hs was too sharp to come to tho sur.
face. ! bet you he's got that knife Of
mine sticking in his back yet. for drove
il in pretty deep. You SEQ the alligator
was sound asleep when I was sitting on
him. but sticking tho knife in him woke
him Baltimore Herald.