The Wilmingtonian., 1888-01-21
A Desperate Fight.
CONTEST BETWEEN TWO BULLS ANDAN ALLIGA-


Il
\ here, on the bank of Lake TohopakalgJ,
! which the alligator was killed and two bull
5 so badly injured that they had to be sho
! and another as rendered almost hors
combat. party of hunters were campn
out on the lower shell mound, eight mile
uth at of here, which overlooks the lake
though several hundred rods from the shore
which is marshy and grassy. Cattle gathe
near there by the hundreds, as the grass
always fresh, aud black flies, their baue on
most lake sides, are generally absent. Whil'
eating their dinner that day the hunter
were startled by loud be!lowings that cam,
from the lake, accompanied by the well.
known 'cry'' or grunt of aligators.
On hastily getting to the bluff "a m ost ex.
citiug scene was witnessed. From the ap-
pearance of the field it would seem that one
OF the old bulls went to the shore for water,
and as he was drinking big gator swan
| up and 81 2 bis nose. The spectators came
| on the field ist ~ me ,'terward. The
bull, big black, with pair of magnificent
sharp horns, lightly curving backward, was
taken at terrible disadvantage, and began
believing loudly, and endeavoriug to shake
uff his.antagonist. The gator had secured
boll hA- nd ha
ciously, churning the water into foam with
his immense tail, the blood streaming from
the bull larc t,l nose Already dying tie
waters red. With a mighty effort the bull
plunged b1ck y aid, hauling his "attach-
ment'' partially On dry land, and then the
fun waxed.furious. The bull rendered fran
tic fro the pain, endeavored to hook the
gator, and, failing in that, stamped at him
and plunged around madly to get rid of his
foe. Attracted by his bellowings tw, other
bulls came furiously down the side, and, see-
ing the gator plunged at HIM. Observing
his new enemies, the latter tried to escape,
but to late. 0uo of them caught his horn
near the gators fore leg, and with an up
ward toss tore a lig hole iu his side, the
saurian responding with deep roar of anger
and pain. As tie other bull came on the
; !, or thrashed his tail and gave tue 1" NAL
a terrible blow knocking him over ON his
de with dull thump. Hts first victim
was n,w free, and the three thoroughly sin-
furiated animals surrounded their foe, bel
lowing aud with wered heads, present.
didn't like, as be attempted to crawl into
the water. His three opponents now began
systematic warfare,
First one would dash at him, escaping the
fly NJ tail rr eu lie. aid give him
l,g with his horns and endeavor to toss him.
The gator was getting weaker all the WI lie
,ud, though still game, he seemed anxious
uc quits. One Of the bulls allowed his
ger to blind him ii AL ami as he came
N out his usual caution the reptile
shired and delivered a sweeping blow with
lis tail that caught the ami nil's legs, break.
ilg them like pipe stems. the old fellow fall
with roa, Of nidness that coul have
.eu heat d mi S'le he sauran's eyes
$ med gleam with triumph a. they gl"c
ed at his enemies. Then eusued cugh-
and-tumble couteit which no description
could do justice to. The bulls pl1uged vic
iously at him oftentimes hitting one anoth
in their mad rushes, while the alligator
swept his big tail arouu in endless circles
and intl cted terrible whacks III their sides
AID legs. For over twenty minutes this $
Continued, the mingled ro ,rs of the infuria-
ted amin lis producing ear-splitting sounds.
Finally the gator again seized his first
victim by the nose aud with a death grip.
The other animal plung Il IL, and catching
both horns under the gators side, gave him
toss, ripping him up SO that his entrsils
protruded. The effect was seen at once, as
his terrible fail played more feebly, but his
hold on the bulls nose ooul | not be broken.
Several more ugly wounds were made, and
the reptiles roars Of anger changed to those
Of pain and fear. His antagonist charged at
him time aud time again, lacerating
MIN terribly. Finally no ressterce was
made, the victi trampling OF the bloody
carcass, though the terrible ip of those
iron jaws still maintained their hold on the
lose of the first bull, who had been force d
co knees and was fast dying from the terri
BILE blows he had received and the great Ii SIS
If b. ood. Several of the watchers then went
down and mercifuly shot the wound. bulls
The alligator, which measured, as we'll as
they could ascertain, over seventeen feet,
the head and jaws being six feet, was liter
ally torn to pieces and disem boweled. The
blow delivered by the gators tail broke
several ribs of the bull, whose legs were also
broken, while oven the victor was badly in
jured. The one which had been seized by
the nose presented horrible appearance,
the flesh having been stripped to the bone
by the iron grip Of the saurian's jaws
Kissimmee letter in St. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat.