Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-03-03
ALLIGATOR LORE.
A Florida Character who
Hunts the Saurians.
Living Among Them for Months and Fa'
mi,iar With Their Habits

Alligator Ferguson, n well known
characteri in Florida, is the subject Of this
sketch. lie has made a snug sum from
the teeth of the alligators he has killed,
and is an expert at the business. Teeth
are worth from 81 to S. u pound, and
sometimes he gathered from six to eight
pounds in a single week. He never
cared anything for the bodies, although
they arc worth more than the teeth
Ferguson did not conlinc his operations to
any particular portion of South Florida,
but from Tampa to BisCaync Bay, and
from the saw grass fields of Lake Apopka
to the shores of Okccchobcc he created
CONSERVATION among the scaly dcnizens
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 communcd
together in early 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 more easily captured,
lie stayed among them so long that he
became, as some people said almost
amphibious. One man thought Fcrguson'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 a cent what they said
or thought about him so long as he could
kill big alligators and sell their teeth.
lie 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-
fcsscd a 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 fcrocious than the
other but Ferguson docs not think so.
lie 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 he long be-
fore their huge snouts would be sticking
out Of the water. Another way was to
take little dog or pig in his arms and
twist its tail SO that it would yell and at
tract the aligators. A screaming pig
will excite the interest and attention Of
any alligator, no matter how indolcnt 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
small bay in the lake, he commenced
looking out for aligators, which he knew
were to be found in that place in great
quantities. The dog was a 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 rcmonstrancc.
When he reached the middle of the pool
he began bowling and struggling and
looked back appcaingly to his master for
help. In q few moments the dog diSap-
pcarcd and was seen no more. "llit rilcd
me awfully," said Ferguson, "to see my
purp gobbcd down in that way, and |
laid for that gator. l wouldn't a-took
the purtiest fif y-dollar bill you ever saw
for that dog, and jest says to myself |
am goin' to make them gators hop; and
did make 'cm hop. takes my leetlcst
purp, and Iwrings and twists his tail un-
twcl he hollors like as if he was a-bein
killed, and, first | knowed, out popped
the head of a whoppin' big gator. Then
another one of the big black imps pokcd
his sassy snoot out'n the water, and hit
warn't no time fore the pond was tecto-
tally covered with 'cm. Incver seen so
many gators in the known world. l shot
and shot and shot, until was bodacious-
ly out of breath, but made them imps
sweat. They cat up my purp, and |
wouldn't a-took a brand new ffty-dol-
lar bill for him, but | evcrlastngly pep
pered 'em for it. Chieago Times.
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