Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-04-04
FERocIoUs ALL1GAToRs.
Thrilling Experiences in Georgis's
oaky Woods District-Wild Cattle.

Alligators are quite numerous IN the
swamps and ponds in the famous Oaky
woods district in the vicinity Of Albany,
Ga. Fishermen in their bateaus fire.
quently see their black noses protruding
in every direction from the surface OK
the water around them. As dusk APP
proaches their believing, like the sound
of an immense bullfrog's choruses or
the noise of bulls with q touch of the
epiZootic, commences. 1t is a chorus
by no means reassuring to persons with
timid nerves.
Physicians. in driving through the
swamps, often see them passing the
road, proceeding from one pond to
another. A doctor not long since had
quite thrilling experience with an inn
mense saurian, which took the road in
front of the vehicle, and disputed his
further progress. This had happened
repeatedly. Horses generally become
unmanageable when confronted by these
hideous monsters. Not long since as
two gentlemen were driving span, an
alligator about eight feet long rushed
directly between the two horses. The
animals became frantic with fear. The
gator left his singular position and
moved to the corner of the fence, when
ono Of the gentlemen, who fortunately
had a rifle in the buggy with him, put
out III pursuit, and with few well di
rectod shots placed the reptile hors du
combat.
One of the most singular experiences
in this respect was that Of large plant
CT. While driving rapidly along with II
friend an alligator ran from the side OF
the road and viciousiy snapped at the
buggy, catching one of the spokes in his
mouth with desperate grip. The
wheel turned over with the alligator
clinging to tie spoke. 1t was thrown,
MS the wheel revolved, directly into the
buggy, and beneath the scat occupied
by the gentlemen. His companion
jumped from the vehicle, leaving the
gentleman alone in the buggy, with the
horse terribly frightened and the ALI
gator pounding under the seat, in dan
gerous proximity TO his legs. As soon
MS the horse could be quieted the plant
er leaped out, and with fence rail soon
dispatched the vicious occupant of the
buggy. He now has a pair of shoes
made from its hide.
A number of little colored boys were
teasing large babboon the other day,
brought to Albany by ten cent circus.
The immense monkey stood the annoy
ance as long as Simian endurance could.
until worried beyond measure. it grasped
a brick bat lying near, and with well
directed blow flung it ut the most
troublesome of its tormentols. The
babboon's aim was enough TO make q
small boy ashamed of himself. The
brick struck the little negro directly be-
hind the right ear, knocking him sense
less. II was at first thought that the
little darkey was killed, but restoiatiyes
brought him back to life.
Out in the oaky woods, in the dense
swamp of the Chickaaawatchee drove
of wild cattle have taken possession.
They feed upon the tender growth Of
the canebrakes. They have become SO
annoying to some OF the planters that
they are preparing to hunt them down.
They make forays upon the growing
crops in the immense fields of corn and
cotton. The highest fences are no inn
pediment to them, rs they leap them
with ease and fly at the first approach
of man, seeking the almost impenetrable
denseness of the swamps. Some twenty
five COWS have been counted among
them. They are sleek and fat from
good living and are supposed to have
escaped from the farm of a lady in Ran
dolph county, and finding such good
quarters in the swamp, have tasted the
delights of freedom and become wild.
Atlanta Constitution.