Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-05-28

Fighting m Alligatp

2 5sES s. rlen VA. GOrreSpO ndent OF the
Atlanta Constitution writes: Mr..
Henry Todd, ono 81 our Oldest ana
wealthiest citizens, tells the following
story:
II is now about fifty: years since ]
happened to make tho acquaintance
OF = young English naval officer who
had come to. visit some relatives on
this side Of the Atlantic. He was
fiery, ambitious and daringt to such an
extent that TO encourage him in some
Of his plans would have led to the
most Quixotic enterprises. Luckily,
his first visit was Of short duration,
and as he always looked to me for
cooperation in his wild schemes, q
feeling Of relief came over me when he
was ready to bid farewell. s..5 1Ef /.
81 Next year I return, he said, as be
vigorously shook my hand, and We
will then have some glorious sport
i thouaht that once in his nativeland
he would soon forget the promise, but
1T proved otherwise. He returned d
year later as full of life as ever. Day
after day passed, and startling pro-
posals followed in quick. succession.
To kill rattlesnakes and ,moccasins
seemed to him, one Of the charming oc-
equations of life, and the greater the
danger that accompanied any of his
plans the less he could resist IT, One
day he came and proposed to 70 ALI
gator hunting, and. displaying q gleam-
ing dagger, he SAID 4 propose to fin
'ish one with this to-day. He had two
white duck suits, and he donned one,
while he made me put the other on in
honor ofhis anticipated victory. Ifelt
nervous as to the result Of his. fool.
hardy resolution to battle an alliga-
tor with such weapon, but never
theless determined to humor him so
far as it was safe to do. High UP on
a mud fat q huge monster soon ap-
peared basking himself in the sun.
The water being at a low stage we had
hard work getting our boat up to
where he was lying. He was fast
asleep, however, and we managed to
get within three or four feet of him.
touched him with theo Oar. Heseemed
dazed, and with his jaws wide open he
made for the bow of the boat. I saw
the Englishman's dagger glitter in the
sun, but, apprehendings danger,
showed the end of the oar into the
threatening gap. Resistance seemed
OF no avail, however. The brute ap-
peared determined to get into the
boat. I saw the Englishman keel
over, and in g. second he was complete
ly buried in the mud. Imade an at.
tempt to pass the alligator, and go to
my friends rescue, but violent
stroke from the monsters tail
landed me in the mud on the opposite
side of the boat. After q desperate
effort I managed to get hold OF the
boat, but was completely blinded
with the mud. Thinking of nv friend,
l sang out faint halloo, and in re-
spouse came despairing groaa. We
presented pitiful spectacle-a strange
contrast to the gay, duck-clothed gen
tlemen of an hour ago. The English
man never proposed hunt after this
experience.
"Many years after this, in glancing
through an English newspaper, giving
an account of the social life of the of.
ticers OF a certain English squadron,
found that an alligator story of a
Captain had made him quite name,
and in perusing this story recognized
every little detail OF our adventure. ="