The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-23
RODE AN ALLIGATOR.
Strange Adventures of an Eng
lish officer.
SURROUNDED BY cAsMANs.
Ne Killed on@ aaa rs~a fss Ecay ~ =
Raft ON whlsh 10 Float
ta safety.
Mslltsrv asd Naral xssa.ine.

Military ssd SaYal Magazine
The lcslo@iag s.oFy + tasd ev csrsaln
Wilmer nj an incident wAieh occurred n
British tijuana, waere the writer Was duck
shooting.
Another ten yards passed and the birds.
he SAYS, began 10 collect together, as
though aware OF the approach OF danger.
and finally with much Quseksng and Hap
ping OF wings they arose IN ore vast Cloud
isto the air | chose this instant "a tire.
and letting them have my right haired
eut lane completely through the ncck.
was SO astonsshed at the havoc | had Gre
atesi thai | failed To rire the lelt barrel.
but jumping up scusled rapidly 10 the
island, and Swinging out Of the boat, gun
in hand, proceeded Co chase ana capture
the crirplcs on the island. This occupied
hut a very few minutes. ana turning
round 10 collecs those already dead. was
annoyed % find that my boat hal drsfted
from eff the island. and had been taken by
the current 90 \ distance of soHsc forty
yards and lodged seearcly against a bank
OF reeds. What bore thought + | must
strip and sgim for IL, aud with tnis object
approached the water and was proceeding
10 0luest myself Of nav coat when NV ewes
tel upon sight that filled rse with run-
stefnasion aud alarm. Midway between
me and my boat Was a large alligator. lie
looked like a log on the water. but his
cruel. snake-Iike eyes were fixed upon me.
Well has he heen called crocodisns laeius.
for his head was exactly like thai ci some
monster pike, and little mercy should ]
have received at his hands bad ventared
into the water, Only forty yards. have
said. separated me from the boat. my
only means of escape from most par
i.oas position. | dared not enter the
water with aIigators around. and haa
positively no other way OF reaching the
boat bat by swimming. The only thing 10
do was To wait on tisa chance Of haiing
some bacS Indian. who occasionally, had
heard, We're 10 he seen in their canoes pad
ding about these creeks aud iaeoons in
quest III sport. bat felt even this was bat
poor chance Of escape III nest-the range
OF country was 50 vast and So intricate and
the back Indian = creature so compare
tiveiy rare In the meantime the sun beat
down merciiessly upon me. and ! would
would have given ali possessed Tor Just
one more pull at the jar containing the
lemonade. But above the heat OF the sun
and the raging thirst that now began to
consume me, above every other consider
alton, arose that strong instinct Of self
preservation implanted in rs ali. and
which, when once aroused, is the most
powerful feeling belonging TO man. Before
long night would cast her black mantle
around, increasing tenfold the horrors Of
the situation. SO long as ! could see and
face the dangers surrounding me ! felt
could act. aye. and even die a. . man and
a soldier. but with darkness added TO my
difficulties ! knew l should require even
more than ordinary fortiinde and reso-
luton. However, action OF some sort was
necessary, and ! instantly aroused myself
and drove away. rs far as possible, all
gloomy and respondent thoughts. mo-
tieed a quantity OF pieces of rock lying
about. and collecting pieees rs large ~
could either roll or carry, ] constructed IN
the center OF the island, which vas also the
highest part Of IL. q sort OF intrenehment,
into which carried my gun. the second
barrel Of which was still loaded. and the
ducks. ten ia number. which ! had stain
when discharged the iirsf barrel All this
occupied some considerable period OF the
day, and by the time had ensconocd my
sell within my r,idely constructed fortress
the sun was on the point OF setting.
so beautiful was the landscape before me
in the light OF the setting sun, that actu-
ally for moment forgot my troubles. and
caught myself wishing for n pencil and
skeiehing block in order that might draw
a picture OF what saw. bat IN an instant |
realized my position and the ahsurdity Of
my wish. aud this SO tickied my fancy that
| burst out laughing: my voice sounded
loud and seemed almost Ia be echoed back
TO me from the adjacent islands. After
this, ! fell thinking Of hygone days
wondered What my people we're
doing in England. then nly thoughts
turned 10 the spos had Immediately come
from. ms brother officers. The mess; then
again 10 tae ship had crossed the ocean
in, my baggage. the parade ordered for the
following morning. At last everything ia
my brain gos lulnbed. mixed up and con-
fused, and, worn out with anxiety and ia
tirue. sunk 10 slsep upon the hare ground.
my hand instineliveiy ciasping the barrel
oil nay Wesley Richards.
Tgggisag SITUATION.
some few hours must hsve elapsed ere
awose from sleep resulting from exhaus-
ton. both OF mind and body. Oa opening
my eyes found il was hardly yefdavlight,
and for some t.ns ! gaxsd IN q way that
VAS almost hopeful towards the east, en-
aeagoYing To catch tlIe siFss rays OF the ris-
ing sun when they should appear. In
about half an hoar piece Of cloud showed
above the horizon. red rs piece Of molten
iron. THIS was soon followed by The snn
itsesf. and then nav eyes wandered Ia the
direction OF my boat, thank goodness. il
was still there, AMI more firmly hxed than
ever among the reeds. Hal the current
taken her of, my chance OF preserva-
zion from q dreadful fate would indeed
have been cut away from me. My eyes
then took in immediate objects. aud saw,
10 my extreme horror taat several large al
Igaforr, or eayiaans. es they aTe called in
south America we're sogf ysng upon the
stand. wsssia = fe~ yards Of the water.
How hated and detesied their vie reptile
fs.rsaa. and their hiaek-sastFe. tnske-sike.
erues eyes. felt that they asresdy re-
garasa me as their lawful prey. and that
sith sbesn IL ass only agaesslon II time:
tasience o4siy X as requisite ea their pafs and
/ sisossla for a certainty fail viesina 10
their rapaesoas srpssiles could not en-
sss for naav DAYS without food OF dFiaa |
dared not venture fssaF The creek, even 10
wash out ny pareaed taouth s.lh is
hrackisA waiers Jhs very thought of
lt.uss Increased rny saifss . shoasassa fold.
AJAX taking ksssfe cut Q. my pocket
r5pyed cfen one ot the ducks aud plAesng
she raw flesh 10 my sisa ssseked oat xixt
/ could Of moisture ! Fss0gniEesi that
In these ducks isy my only fneaAs Of
xs~Fsss4... $50