Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-16
oUos Aga ssT THE ALLIGATOR
Gus Was So Sure 1t Was Dead rb.. n,
Went Into the Water Altar r.

Went Into the Water After IT.
When l lived in Texas, it was in Atas-
cosa unity, about forty or fifty miles
southwest OF San Antonio de Bexar on n
ranch, where L was engaged in cattle rails.
ing. One morning some seven or eight Of
the nearest neighbors, representing 40
many families, whose ranches were located
along the same little stream, the Atascosa
the English of which is Little Muddy y
met at the ranch of Mr.. James French
who lived at the upper end of the settle.
ment, near small lake, or, rather, large
water no e in the bed of said stream
ms was not running stream all the
year round, but was formed of small
lakes OF lew miles or less apart, and the
water only ran from lake to lake durine,
about three or four months of the late fall
ana winter seasons. At the time that
write there was no water in the creek ex-
cept In these lakes, which was the home of
the beautiful and artistic alligator
we had all brought our rifles with ns
hoping TO meet here for the purpose of
going some twenty miles out west to
orlNe away or Kill some mustang horses
that had made their appearance near the
settlemer IS among the tame herds, it being
very dangerous to have the wild mustangs
among them, as they frequently injured
the tame geldings, killing some of them
and often enticing the whole herd with
them into their range
w bile we were sitting on the front YER
anda, chatting over the events of the past
two days, the prospects of crops, etc, a
negro woman who had been down at the
lake near the house engaged in the family
washing, came rushing toward the house
screaming, alligator alligator at the
ton of her voice Tho noiSa apJ
appearance of the negress attracted the at
tention OF the boys, and Gus Durand. one
or the party, snatched up his rifle and
started for the lake, the rest of the party
following slowly after. Gus was an un-
erring shot, and we knew that if he got a
fair bead On the gators eye that he was
sure of his game.
We KEEP back far enough not to flush
the game and give Gus chance to take
every advantage of position, but we had
gotten sufficiently close to see at least the
head and shoulders of the reptile out on
the bank, the other half of the body still
hanging in the water. At the crack of the
gun the alligator slid back into the lake
and sank n about ten feet depth of water.
OF course we could not tell whether Gus
had touched him or not, whereupon some
OF the boys began to guy him and offering
" DSS bLieiD HC utilU even ETdZtu Ile llQe,
Now Gus had the utmost confidence in his
uneqaled craftsmanship and was ready at
all times to back his judgment, whereupon,
TO the surprise of us all, he coolly accepted
the challenge and offered to cover any
mans ten dollars that he had killed the
alligator.
The wager was settled and Gus deliber-
ately DOTTED his clothing and plunged into
the water. 1t appeared afterward that the
alligator was not instantly killed and by
the merest accident Gus happened to land
right on The alligator's back just as the
reptile was in the last throes of the death
agony and mad started to the surface, and
in very few seconds landed him safely on
shore, going through his last shiver in the
death stru ggle in few feet of the water.
1t is stated by those who claim experience
in the habits of the alligator that they al
ways come to land to die. and perhaps this
accounts partly for Gus good luck in get
ting out alive, as we all agreed that it was
the most foolhardy trick we ever knew Gus
Durand to be guilty of.
Gus only reply to our circumstances
was, 81 knowed DANCED well I'd get his
eye," as ne coolly pocketed the golden
eagle.-Philadelphi Times.