Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-10-28
na.t... : A..ha i,nl, .aa,nr.


ts quite difference. a. John HIGHLAND
and Win Jones say hey were out
fishing with cast net in boat one day
recently at the mouth of Fish Greek,
which flows into Tampa Bay just below
Rocky Point Neting a big hole near
the bank they cs.si tae net in, thinking
TO capture Sc aal OF mulet, but 10 their
surprise lis lasa~ came in. thraShing
and whaling a o.ssaJ in the livelieSt nasl-
ner possible. Iae1 followed fight that
was circus. except TO the interested
parties in their snla" boat
The gator sooa had the net in tatters,
but the men, getting mad at this. pro-
cured a rope. cast blight around his
head. and had liim secure. This rem
dered the saurian furious, and he began
to battle right well He plunged at
the boat and tried every way to get over
the gunwale. Tie inen had only small
paddles and pole to fight him with. but
these they piiAd lively. beating him
about the eyes al.d mouth whenever he
tried to crawl over into the boat The
gator would jump half his length out
of the water and then rush at the boat
with wide open mouth. showing long
row of serrated teeth that were ominous
of his intentions if he once gained foot
hold in the skiff. The men would push
the pole into his gazing mouth and beat
him with the paddles, and then the brute
would back off with a loud below Of
rage and anger Finally. by tremen-
dous sweep of his tail the gator tore off
half the end Of the boat and it began to
sink Jones jumped for land, and.
catching a big cypress knee. managed
to crawl out safely. Highland was not
so fortunate. Holding one end of the
rope in his hand, he sprang overheard
and tried to gain the land. but the gator
pulled away abr tly, and Highland
was flung back into the water right in
front of the enraged and hungry mon
ster. Seeing him thus, the gator, with
a loud roar, plunged toward him with
open jaws.
Jones saw his friends peril, and
jumped to his rescue. seizing big light
wood knot (Which are as hard as iron,
and sharp pointed) ia his hand as he did
So Highland got entangled in the rope,
and it looked as if the gator had meal
in readiness Jones's leap carried him
near the gators herd, and he brought
down the keen point of his weapon on
the brute's nose. one point going into its
eye. The big g ltor turned on him and
thrashed madly.
Highland got clear Of the rope finally,
aud scrambled to land, where Jones
hastily followed as soon as he could
dodge the wounded gator The latter
/ toll. Il fl,fac c1a
rushed at them. The men ran around a
tree t get p, CHASE on their rope, and
the gator ran on the opposite side.
There they were; the rope was so held
that the gator couldn't quite get TO them,
while, on the other hand, they didn't
dare to let go in the face of the in
furiated monster, that they could see
was so highly aud thoroughly mad that
they stood no chance with him, es-
pecially without firearms The gator
plunged at his wou' d be victims, SO near,
and yet so far, ard roared in impotent
rage and anger. The men strained
every nerve to hold him when he ragged
IN this manner. aud could only do SC 5Y
the exercise of their utmost strength.
The rope creaSed and twisted under the
strain, but fortunately held
For half an hour this contest con-
tinued, and gator and men alike were
| getting pretty well tired out The men
kept shouting for help, and after long
interval Jones's boy came along from his
home half mile of. The lad was set
off on the double quick for rife, and
the time he was absent seemed hours to
| fhe tired men Wien he returned his
father took the weapon, and aiming
carefully at the gator. fred; the saurian
plunged furiously forward as he felt the
bullet, and the rope parted With snap.
AS the saurian started toward them the
rifle spoke again. and the big brute
turned over twice and then lay quiet
Tie alligator measured II feet inch
in length, and weighed over 500 pounds.
1t was a bull gator. and very fierce.
The men declared that one such squab-
BILE of this kind was sufficient to last a
lifetime. -[st. Louis Globe Democrat