Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1891-08-14
WOOL TURNED WHITE
AWFUL EXPERIENCE OF a NEGRO
sEsET BY ALLIeAToRs.

BEsET BY ALLIeAToRs.
ne spent the Greater Part Of Twenty
four Hours on stump In Deep
swamp--Tfe held a Pig on His Back and
Was surrounded by Hungry saurlans.
On the edge of a little take about ten or
twelve miles northwest OF Tallahassee.
there lives an old negro whom l see ana
with whom talk every time | 90 hunting
IN chat direction. At least ] have always
suuposed he was aged for though his VIE
a 4 buxom Young woman, he is white
baired. though hale and hearty in appear
ance The last time / was out there
Harmed that he was quite young, only
about forty in fact, and that his snowy
locks had history. After urging pre-
vailed on him to tell me the story.
1t seems that during the war this negro.
Ben Aiken, had run off, and while hlaing
out IN the woods subsisted as best ne coula
on wild fruits, some game, young corn, ana
an occasional chickenif he was so fortunate
as to find one far enough away from
plantation.
One day he happened to slip up on mar
grown pig and, getting close enough,
Nl
bis knife and started of with 1t to his I'M
provised hut. While picking his way
through the swamp and going from one
little mound to another, stepping oa logs
and stumps and cypress knees, he noticeo
that one log he was just In the act OF step
ping on was not log at all, but quite
vicious looking alligator.
He had lived long enough among gators
to feel no particular uneaslness over TINS
one, though be also knew that they are
mean TO have around. Ben stepped back
TO the mound he was on (which was only
about ten or twelve feet square) and con-
cIuded to wait till the sluggish creature
moved on. But the gator after awhile
aroused itself, and In company with four
or five others started toward Ben
The negro concluded to beat retreat
when be found that his little island was
entirely surrounded by alligators, and ne
then realized that they had been attracted
BY the shoat he was carrying, which had
left trail of blood behind him.
ALLIeAToRs ON EVERY SIDE.
The darky was now thoroughly fright
eued. He saw the alligators crOwding
around his little island; he knew that at
night they would come up after HIM he
had no weapon except knife and club;
he knew there was no chance Of any one
hearing his cries, and it was now nearly
shutdown. A half grown alligator came
crawling up toward him and he Drained 1t
with club, but it gave him no consoia-
ton, for he knew he could not keep that
up through the night.
There was one cypress knee or stump on
the mound which rose about i've feet or
more, but he doubted his ability to get
upon its smooth top, and even if he got
there he didn't think he could keep his
place there long Besides it was doubtful
even then If he would be out Of reach Of
their jaws. Being the only chance, how
ever, he tried it, spd fesad-that O5S'elose
HfCGntI0n and SIDING in very cramped
position he could keep his place upon the
stump.
Night came on and he became sleepy. He
dare not close his eyes. He did everything
possible to keep himself awake. Finally,
captivity itself would be a blessed relief
oonpared with this, and he called long and
loud for help hour after hour he knew 1t
was Of no use, but he kept it up.
At last the first gray streaks Of dawn
were seen, and presently came the day.
His little mound was covered with alliga-
tors and the swamp seemed alive with
them. He tried to brighten them away, SO
that he could at least get down and stretch
his limbs, but they crawled all around
him, glaring up at him, opening their hor-
rid mouths for the feast they knew was
coming,
The hot rays Of the sun were becoming
uncomfortable, for he had kept up his call
ing for help until his throat and mouth
seemed parched
RESCUED A CHEERING IDIOT.
He had all this time kept the pig in his
arms. and now, in slightly altering his
position, it dropped to the ground. At
once an enormous alligator from each side
rushed toward it. 1t was the gauge OF
battle, and a gurgling threat from each
was followed by the onset. Never dld any
one witness such combat.
The enormous teeth and powerful jaws
crashing on mailed side, back and head;
the final advantage gained by one IN grip
under the neck, and the fearful struggle
of the other; the terrible strokes Of each
with his long tail, and the resounding
echoes through the swamp-all, Joined
with Ben's hoarse cry for help, made din
and commotion that almost deafened Mr..
Aiken and his men, who now appeared
upon the scene
A crowd that had been out coon hunting
the night before had been frightened by
Ben's cries, and reporting it at the house
Mr.. Aiken concluded it must be his run
away hand, and SO took "a crowd Of men
and started after him and now came upon
the scene. The battle between the alliga-
tors was finished, and the conqueror was
at once also killed.
The others were driven away, and Ben
was taken of his perch, a chattering, glib
bering idiot A weeks rest restored him
TO his normal condition, however, except
his kinky hair. That has always remained
as white as the whitest bale Of cotton on
the plantation.-Co st. Louis Globe-Dem-
Ocrat.