The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-06-07
OLD-TlME ALLlGATORS.
Yarns of the Georgia bottoms la the Days
Before the war.

B'iOiH lbH war
a number Of old citizens were in
conversation In tho vicinity OF tho
.Ourt-house Among them were some
Of the former planter princes Of this
section, whose immense plantations In
antc-bollun days were titled by thou
sands Of slaves. They knew all about
the country, and the singular forms OF
animal life with which IL teens.
"Many years ago," said Colonel II.
A. Tarycr, "tLo Oa6y Woods district
was filed with aIligators They were
much more plentiful than now. DO
you know that tho below Of an alli-
gator is n suro sign Of approaching
rain. II You hear their hoarsc cry in
the morning look out for showers
"Ihc alligutOr5 arc often quite force.
A negro woman was standing in n
pond washing when an alligator caught
her by the leg. She called Justify for
help, when some negro men who wore
near ran TO her assistance and killed
tho hugo reptile. A gentleman was
riding across n branch whom an alli-
gator caught his horse by the leg. Tho
animal plunged fcarfully, but the
suurian held on like grim death. Tho
gentleman was thrown in the water
and the horse managed 90 cXtricato
his limb from tho fierce tccth that APP
parontly held It ns In visc. ] once
killed l20 alligators in one day. Tho
ponds wore quite dry at tho time. |
procured a long pole with "A largo hook
Mt the end, and, going 90 the holes
which were still filled with water.
dragged the reptiles out. having them
dispatched by the ncgrocs IL is sin
gulur how long He will remain In
these creatures. We once killed n
large one I'm u field and left il behind
tho burrows. Tho next day. twonty-
four hours later the oycrsccr touched
IL i'm passing and IL doubled itsolf up.
striking out yiciously with it's tail,
nearly striking him"
81 onco won't on n fishing excursion
TO McLcllan's Mills" said DR.. Tall
fcrro Jones. "NNo stretched out our
nets, and at twelve o'clock we went TO
examine them. In ono We found u
large alligator tangled up, gto got
away. Tho not was torn in two, but
we reset IL without trying TO mend it.
At two o'clock Mr.. johnson and others
won't out again. The alligator had re-
turned to the net, cndcavOring to prey
upon the fish within il, and was
drowned thcrein. Thoy brought il
ashore. | was asleep at the time, and
they awakened me 10y putting my foot
in the hugo mouth OF the creature.
Tho alligator was eight feet long, and
was stono dead. We prickod him with
knives and puncturcd him, but could
find no sign of animation.
"Ono of the best finds ever made
continued the doctor "was at Pinoy
Woods creek, near Acrco. Tho water
was very low, and rs | was crossing it
| saw an immense blacklish como
swimming 10y in the shallow stream
and hid amid the tall grass. | dis
mounted and killed the fish. In step
ping back felt somc quccr substance
beneath my feet and looking down |
saw that had stepped upon an onor-
nous soft-shcllcd turtle also captured
that, and the next day had them both
for duucr.'
A negro cut at the Tarvor place Is
very fond OF alligators rs food prod
Uct. lie captures the saurians. and,
after duly preparing them, cures thom
as hc docs his hams. I'm his smoke
house at present five or six of these
reptiles are hung up undergoing the
smoking process. Albany GA } Cor
Atlantic Constitution,