The Iola register., 1888-08-17

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Missing the dog they were not averse
to bear meat. Bruin In his hurry to
catch his first prey had paid little at
tention to what might befall him in the
creek. But now he began to notice the
increasing number of black spots on
the water, all turning toward him,
and probably instinct told him
that hungry gators in their own
element, were q foe not to be de-
spised. With an uneasy whine he at.
tempted to turn and regain the shore,
but now it was too late. With q rush .
big, black form was seen to dart up
against him and in a second was seized
and dragged under. The old fellow
was game, however, and now that he
had gotten into the fight he proved no
mean antagonist With an immense
effort he plunged away from the attack.
ing gators and dashed forward for the
shore. The water shoaled and It seemed
as If he would escape. A big bull
saurian dashed forward and seized the
bear by one of his hind legs, while two
others swan behind him to cut of his
retreat. With a deep roar of rage the
bear turned on the one that had seized
him. and with one stroke of his paw
clawed out the gators eyes. The lat.
ter beloved with pain, and. threshing
the water madly, plunged forward at
Bruin. Other gators joined in. and the
poor animal was beset on all sides. Sit
ting on its launches, with tho blood
flowing from gaping wound on
its hind leg, the bear snapped,
clawed and bit at his savage
antagonists; but they were too many
for him. Another seized one of his legs
in its powerful jaws, and with strong
effort drew the bear off into deeper wa
ter; others dashed at him from all sides,
swapping at him from every point. The
water splashed high and was churned
into snowy whiteness by the furious eff
forts of the fighters, save where the red
blood told the tale. But a few mo-
ments longer did the unequal struggle
last. Bruin strove to regain his feet.
but the cruel jaws Of the reptiles closed
on his legs, sides and wherever hold
could be secured, and with one mighty,
agonizing roar the bear disappeared,
while the furious struggle continued un-
der water for several seconds. Bits of
flesh and the blood-dyed waters however
pointed to the bears fate and the hyenas
of the water fought among themselves
for the morsels of meat.
The girls had gazed on the fight SPELL
bound, but now they were rudely
aroused to their own peril. The dog
had barked loudly during the savage
fight going on SO near, and the gators
who missed bear meat seemed to be
after dogs flesh. The canoe rocked.
almost overturning, and the startled
girls saw mOnstrous pair of open jaws
right at the side of their small craft.
Josie pushed her rifle barrel in the
gators mouth and pulled the trigger,
sending a bullet where it evidently
didn't agree, Judging from the reptiles
sudden sinking and threshing about.
A moment later huge tail came flying
over the bow of the boat, and striking
the dog, who stood there barking,
knocked him into the water. A big
pair of wide-open jaws was just about
to close on the tempting morsel when
Vida stopped down, and, catching the
dogs forepaws, by sudden effort drew
h int <ho <1A
closing with snap that indicated great
disappointment. The dog covered
down at the bottom of the boat, while
the girls attepaea40 the other gators,
who seend 10 manifest an inclination
to get into the canoe. Several shots
were fired at the scaly reptiles, but their
taste of blood had made them fearless.
A scream from Josie aroused Wilda,
who was striving to pole the boat ashore.
Turning around she saw her sister hall
drawn out of the canoe, a big monster
gator having seized her dress. josie
was beating the gator over the nose
with her rifle with one hand, while with
the other she endeavored to hold her.
self in the boat. Without a moments
hesitation Vida raised the long pole
she was using, and posing it moment
threw it at the gators head. BY rare
good fortune it struck him in the eye
and penetrated to the brain. With q
loud below the reptile opened its jaws
and sunk
For the next few minutes the brave
girls had all they could do-one firing
at the saurians rs they approached too
closely, while the other, using the
breech of her gun as paddle. urged the
canoe to shore. As it touched the sand,
both leaped out and ran up the bank.
none too soon, either. for a big pursuing
gator, in its mad desperation at losing
its prey. threw itself forward, crushing
in the sides of the dugout.
The girls concluded that they had
enough hunting for that day. and re-
turned home by another route. The
next day party Of men went down to
the creek to see the scene of the strug-
gle. Over ten big gators were found
dead in the creek, while in the center
several clean-picked bones showed that
bear meat was relish to alligators.
The girls make light Of their thrilling
experience, but admit that they would
not care to have many such. Consider
ing the partiality the gators evidently
had for dog meat, and the clumsiness of
. log dugout, it is q wonder that the