Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
a NOTED ALLIGATOR.
He Rather Enjoys Being Shot ut and -
Always On Hand.

DO 1k8t00f E01Oy3 Being ShOe 1e ana -
Always On Hand.
Bob of Dunn's creek is the best
known to river men and tourists of
any alligator in Florida He is one of
the largest saurians in the State. being
fourteen feet six inches in length.
while the largest alligator on the St
Johns river of which any reliable ac-
count can be had is but sixteen feet in
length. Dunn's creek. Bob's home. is
one of the most beautiful of Florida
streams. 1t is twenty-five miles in
length and it is very deep. being the
outlet from Crescent lake into St
Johns river. 1t is a very crooked
stream, and is SO narrow that in
places the boat will scrape the banks,
1t is lined with evergreens. which
meet overhead. forming a leafy bower
that is delightful to the lover of the
picturesque. The windings are very
abrupt at times and the navigation is
exceedingly difficult The steamer
Georgia, Captain Bright commanding.
is the only boat now plying in its
waters. In one of the shortest of the
many bends in Dunn's creek Bob has
had his home for many years. always
lying on the same log, and SO close to
the log that the passengers
can reach him with an oar.
Alligators usually become fright
eHed and roll off from the logs
into the water at the approach of a
boat, but Bob is used to it, and APP
pears to wait for the boat to come.
Every day for ten years he has been
seen on the same log, and as the boat
approaches he slightly turns his head.
as though he were waiting for the
passengers to begin to shoot at him.
which they invariably do. After he
is tired of this amusement he dives
into the water, to again reappear when
the boat returns. He has been shot
every day during the last decade, but
he never tires of it, and no one has
ever succeeded in hitting him in a
vulnerable place. He seems to under
stand that he is there to act as tar
get for the marksmcn and throws his
throat close against the log and turns
his head SO that the bullets can not
strike his eyes. He then knows that
he is safe. The log on which Bob suns
himself has beer measured a number
of times, and his length is therefore
well known. During the ten years
since he first began to become famous
he has grown two feet
Captain Bright stated that he be-
lieved the pilot would miss his loca-
ton if Bob was TO die. He is certain
landmark. and passengers who are ac-
quetnted with the stream will ask
How many miles are we from Bob?"
in order to ascertain their where
abouts.
The log upon which he lies has be-
come known as Bob's log, and some
facetlous passengers have made up
petitions to have a post-offlce establish
ed there ami Bob appointed as post
master, giving him as a surname that
of the man after whom the creek was
called. Several petitions. it is said,
have been prepared. but so far as
heard from none have been presented
to the department.; but if '.Bob's Land
ing. Bob Dunn, postmaster, is ever
put in the Postal Guide it can be
known that no one lives there and the
postmaster is a huge gator.
Bob's home is the halfway point be-
tween Crescent lake and St. Johns
river, and visitU's to Florida should
not fail to see him. Captain Bright
states that if they ever run short of
ammunition they will catch Bob and
take the bullets out of his back. where
enough to stock small store must be
imbedded. Bob is not a myth. He
can be seen by any passenger who will
go up Dunn's creek, and hundreds of
tourists will testify as to his existence
and characteristics. St Louis