The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
ALLIGATOR LORE.
A Florida Character who
Hunts the Saurians.
Living Among Them for Months and Fa-
miiiar With Their Habits.


character in Florida, is the subject of this
sketch. He has made a snug sum from
the teeth of the allisators he has killed,
and is an expert at the business. Teeth
arc worth from 81 to S. pound, and
sometimes he gathered from six to eight
pounds in single week. He never
cared anything for the bodies, although
they are worth more than the teeth.
Ferguson did not confine his operations to
any particular portion of South Florida,
but from Tampa to Biscayne Bay, and
from the saw grass fields of Lake Apopka
to the shores of Okcechobce he created
CONSERVATION among the scaly denizens
of the marshes, and he could lay claim to
having killed more alligators than any
other man living. lie made his bed
among them, ate among them, spent
many months among them as his only
companions, and it is probable that he
hardly ever thought or talked of any
thing but alligators The gigantic snarls
and growls with which they communed
together in carly spring was the only mu-
sic which charmed his cars At that
time of the year he knew they could be
found in pairs and moro easily captured.
He stayed among them so long that he
became, as some people said almost
amphibious. Ono man thought Ferguson's
teeth were growing longer, and another,
with an exceptionally keen pair of eyes,
was certain that the great hunters skin
was growing rough and hard in patches,
preparatory to changing into scales. Fer
guson didn't care cent what they said
or thought about him so long as he could
kill big alligators and sell their teeth.
He always claimed that the alligators
were more plentiful on Fish Eating
Creek, but that their teeth were very
much inferior to those from other places.
On the gulf coast, he said, was the
best place for real good teeth, and pro-
fessed preference for salt water alliga-
tors. Those that live in salt water are of
stouter build, and the head is larger in
proportion to the body than that of the
fresh water species. Some people claim
that they are more ferocious than the
other, but Ferguson does not think so.
He is an expert at dccoying alligators
within range of his gun. He has way
of barking like a small dog, and when he
commenced that it would not be long be-
fore their huge snouts would be sticking
out of the water. Another way was to
take a little dog or pig in his arms and
twist its tail so that it would yell and at
tract the alligators. A screaming pig
will excite the interest and attention of
any alligator, no matter how indolent or
phlcgmatic. Ferguson told me that he
was hunting one spring morning near
Tohopckalign, and had brought a young,
fine bloodcd dog with him. Coming to
deep, round pool, which formed a
small bay in the lake, he commenced
looking out for alligators, which he knew
were to be found in that place in great
quantities. The dog was little too eager
for the sport and jumped into the water.
Ferguson said he tried to call him back,
but the dog was deaf to all remonstrancc.
When he reached the middle of the pool
he began bowling and struggling and
looked back appealingly to his master for
help. In a few moments the dog disap-
pearcd and was seen no more. "Ilit rilcd
me awfully," said Ferguson, "to see my
purp gobblcd down in that way, and
laid for that gator. l wouldn't a-took
the purtiest fiji y-dollar bill you ever saw
i for that dog, and jest says to myself
am goin' to make them gators hop; and
l did make 'em hop. takes my leetlest
purp, and l wrings and twists his tail un.
twel he hollors like as if he was a-bein
killed, and, first l knowed, out popped
the head of whoppin' big gator Their
another one of the big black imps poked
his sassy snoot outn the water, and hi
warn't no time fore the pond was teeto
tally covered with 'em. l never seen Sc
many gators in the known world sho
and shot and shot, until was bodacious
ly out of breath, but made them imp
sweat. They eat up my purp, and
wouldn't a-took brand new fifty-dol
lar bill for him, but l everlastingly pep
pered 'em for it. Chicago Times.