The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-28
,TED BY ALLIGAToRs.
III flsasure Party Attacked
ii the st. Johns.
he PaIatka CFla.) Herald.

u
a the St. Johns
he PdIafka CFla.) Herald.
Tuesrning. Feb. 4, Commodore A.
J. Rooboes. ". Y, and James Moore
of New. city chartered Capt J. E.
Lucas yacht Escort for a thirty
DAVIS to the headwaters of the st.
Johns. b were on board beside the
gentlesamed, a crew of four, viz !:
Georg$gnol, pilot; Ling ROssignol.
enginem johnson, cook: and a cOiored
fireman about IS years.
The boat continued on its Journey
to the live point, Lake Winder, which
was rd four days later, Monday, Feb.
13. The boat tied up so that the crew
could d rest. The fires being out, the
steam down and all was quiet.
The cry at the entrance to Lake
Windks as though the civilized eve
had ngazed upon it before. Birds,
auimaid alligators were plentiful; in
fact. tRch so, and at times greatly an
n>yeds on the steamer.
F.idorning about o'clock Commo-
dore Fas awakened by the loud bark
ing ofeer hounds, which were tied in
the bdthe boat. The dogs bark was
moro be of distress than anything else,
ana tLg that some wrong was the
matteTke Mr.. Moore, but before that
gentletpuld get on his clothes CommO-
dore II ent out to the dogs and found a
large Or with half its body on the
deck OF ,oat and the other half in the
water hing back to get his rife he
commuIh the news to Mr. Moore, who,
not Waltto put on his trousers, pro-
ceeded wife in hand to assist Commo-
dore RoSho nut a Winchester ball
through turian's eyes when it fell back
into the r. bleeding and dead. The
report OF gun awoke the crew, who
rushed out eck to learn the cause.
The klllof this one alligator did not
settle matp The yelping of the dogs in
the dark, hour of the might had
attracted tttention of an army of ALI =
gators whlpmpletely surrounded the
boat. Ihelaness and groans were such
as sent terfo the hearts of the boats
humanity. ,h one armed with rifles
began pourl1pt shot into the swarming
alllgators. Hood that had flowed from
their Wounds splashed against the
steamers sldhd on the gunners. No
army that evpod on the field of battle
fought for dete SO earnestly as Com
modore Root his party did ON this oc-
caslon. SeeiIiat nothing could be done
20 drive the fus alligators away, orders
were given toam up, which consumed
about an houTll this time the continued
fusilade delapparent impression on
the surging m,f maddened saurians.
The engineeported plenty of steam
with which toceed, and the return down
stream was n under great difficulties.
The boat had gone 800 feet when it
came to a shonnd in the river. The pro-
peller struck taurians several times, ard
every tiange oe wheel was knocked off.
Then the steanwas tied up to large cy-
press tree. light was breaking, and
the bloody watpoked like the crimson
sky of setting.
Finally Coodore Root threw his
MOUNDS IN to alligators, thinking it
would satisfy b, when they were soon
devoured after errible fight among the
Sanrlans to gain, mouthsful of food.
While they v watching this proceed
ing an alligatolawled up on the opposite
'lde and nabbthe, fireman by the leg,
'eVerlng 1t Ju TOW the knee. The same
accident happG to the cook. 1t was
plainly evidentnat the alligators were
gaming In the FL whereupon Commodore
Root and Jas. ore climbed the cypress
rec to its loftyght closely followed by
ne crew, excephe injured fireman and
'ook who'were It locked up in the pilot
house. Those ithe tree hid themselves
rom view by wpping their bodies up in
moss and leaves sas to resemble the Wild
crest. In this unavoidable position they
emalned until sht when all became
-uet. The groai and roars of the ALI
ators became lie as minutes flew into
ours, and about O'Clock midnight the old
ypress tree had gin up its precious lives.
ne party having ched down to the deck
the boat again. very movement of the
len was done in th most quiet manner.
he wheel to thesteamer having been
roken, poles werf sed to move the boat
own stream, viii. was a very tiresome
SIX.
From Lake Vnder to Poinsett Jas,
Loore amused hisellow creatures by tell
g OF his many n;row escapes, but the ex-
erlences he relate were those of the others.
When the Escorreached Lake Harnett
lie was taken in tw by the Waunita and
irrled misunderstanding last Thursday
7ening.
The HerrId repcter, who was in Sanford
the time gatherd the above facts from
gorge Rossignol, De pilot, and his brother,
ing Rossignol.
Commodore Root has been coming to
alatka regularly FIR the past twenty
'ars, and makes Palaka his headquarters
bile in the state. lis time is principally
ken up in huntngand fishing on our
Vers and creeks and tbs last experience is
ldoubtedly the wort ever known in
orida. The only reapn that can be given
the sudden Appearance of alligators is
at the dogs barking attracted them. The
untry in which they were attacked is the
ldest in Florida, ard has not been trav-
ID by man before sine the Indian war of
35.
Tine Escort is expected here on Monday of
xt week.