Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-02-13

an little nlggas. wy ony las Sat d'y o
big gator jis scooped up an swallered
two NV the ole womans pigs. An ole
Jake Tonsing los fine caf yest'd'y
mawnin rite up dar, pointing to small
cabin about 200 yards above.
All of us caught the excitement, and it
wasn't many minutes before we were
ashore at the mouth of the little river.
Old Uncle Joe tied up his scow and we
fastened our horses to the trees, knowing
we could not use them in the swamp.
walk of about 400 yards over the morass
brought us to an open space where the
creek wldened and deepened into small
lake. Here We found about dozen men
and boys surrounding tremendous alli-
gator, which was doing his level best to
get back to the water and to snap up some
of the more venturesome darkies. He
was fully 100 feet away, however, and the
crowd had surrounded him with long
poles and axes. Whenever an opportunity
presented itself one or the other would
hit him over the nose with his long pole,
while two or three who had axes were
trying to get in blow at his head, but
with poor success. However. they kept
the saurian from getting away while one
old fellow was trying to slip moose over
his head. The old darky had the rope
hung over the end of long pole with
which he tried to slip it over the alligator's
neck, but the old reptile was too smart,
with all his apparent awkwardness, and
he kept his long snout from being caught
by swinging it out of the way or swapping
at the rope.
Just as we came up, little darby
about IA or Is years old got within reach
of the alligator's tail. That useful or.
gan flew around and struck the boy lust
below the small of the back and knocked
him twenty feet away. landing him in
big bunch of swamp grass. The boy was
the son of an old fellow who had been
standing in front of the gator, looking
for an opportunity to fire a load of shot
out of an old musket into the animals
eyes. Infurated at his hopeful's mis-
hap, and perhaps thinking that he was
badly hurt, the old darky banged away.
For all the damage he did the alligator,
he may as we'll have fired at a sheet of
boiler iron. The shot glanced off the
alligators hide and frescoed three OF
four of the darkies, and then pande-
monium broke loose. They forgot all
about the gator, and went for that old
darky. If it hadn't been for the new ar
rivals the animal would have got away
doubtless, and the old musketeer would
have got threshing, but we called them
off, and went more Systematically to work
TO capture the Saurlan.
While one stood on each side, poking
their poles at his eyes whenever he tried
to turn or back away old Joe took the
over his head. Then, with yell of sat-
isfaction, the darkies all got hold of the
heavy rope and pulled it taut.
One end was turned about tree, and
MS fast as foot was gained the slack was
taken up, until after half-hour's hard
labor the alligators nose was pulled close
up to the tree.
During the entire time taken up in
landing the gator safely the air was in
terlarded with interjections and ejacula-
tions of hatred from the darkies who had
suffered to appease his ravenous appe-
tite:
1Swallcred my yaller pup las week,
did yo', you 'fernal scoun el?'
"Chawed up ole Gabe's caf uni
humph! Cess ye dun creatin' 'sturbance
in dis yer naborhood2"
L dun spec youse same ole 'gat or
what got Cato Smif's boy las summer.
Won't have no more good times master
catin' little niggas, you ole debbil!"
The alligator made last struggle to
escape. He snapped his great jaws with
their rows of long, sharp teeth, thrashed
his long, dangerous tail about, but it was
his career with an ak. After he was
killed they drew him up and skinned him
and knocked out his teeth. The fat was
taken away to be tried into OIL and the
rest of the carcass left for the buzzards,
which were already sailing overhead,
having scented their prey from afar.
On the way back to the boat, accom-
panied by the crew of gator hunters, we
learned how they had trapped the alli-
gator. The saurian is extremely fond of
dogs, which they often follow into the
fields for quite distance in hopes,
doubtless, of capturing some unlucky
canine. For some weeks past we learned
an alligator had been creating havoc
among the pigs and calves of the negroes
along the edge of the swamp and they
had determined to capture or kill it..
knowing its weakness they had tied a
half-grown pup TO small tree about 200
yards from tho river early that morning,
and while one of their number stood on
watch for tho first appearance of their
victim the rest of the crowd retired to the
shade, and negro like, stretched them
selves out for nap. 1t was afternoon,
Just before we arrived at the river bank,
when the boy on watch reported the pres
enco of the gator. The negroes waited
until he was within q few feet of the cry
ing and bowling pup before they broke
cover. Whether they would have sue
ceeded in killing their enemy without
help is q question of serious doubt to my
mind. However when they did finally
succeed in killing him they were the most
delighted lot of darliies l had seen in