The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-03
HIS WOOL TURNED WEITs.
The Awful Experience of a Negro Up
Stump and Beset by AlligetOrs.

MD w OOA 1 - bNGO w II y.
The Awful Experience of a Negro Up a
Stump and Beset by AlligetOrs.
From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat
| TALLAHASSEE. July lon the edge OF a
little lake about ten or twelve miles north
west Of here there lives an old negro whom
see and with whom I talk every time / 60
! hunting in that direction. At least, | nave
always supposed he was aged, for though
his wife is a buxom young woman, he is
white-haired, though hale and hearty in ap-
pearance. The last time | was out there
learned that ne was quite young-only
about 40, in fact, and that his snowy locks
had history. After urging prevailed on
him to tell me the story.
| 1t seems that during the war this negro.
Ben Aiken, had run off, and while hiding
out IL the woods subsisted as best he could
on wild fruits, some game young corn and
an occasional chicken, if he was SO fortunate
as to fad one far enough away from a plan
tation. One day he happened to slip up on
a half grown pig, and, getting close enough,
| Knocked it over, and at once stuck It with
his knife and started off with it to his i'm
prOvIsed hut. While picking his way
| through the swamp, and going from one
little mound to another, stepping on logs
and stumps and cypress knees, he
noticed that one log he was just
| in the act of stepping on was not
a log at all, but a vicious look
! ing alligator. He had lived long enough
among gators to feel no particular uneasi-
ness over this one, though he also knew that
they are mean to have around. Bon stepped
back TO the mound he was on (Which was
only about ten to twelve feet square, and
concluded TO wait till the sluggish creature
moved on. But the '"gatorn after awhile
| aroused Itself, and III company with four or
five others started toward Ben. The negro
concluded TO beat retreat, when he found
that his little island was entirely sur
| rounded by alligators, and he then began TO
realize that they had been attracted by the
| shoat he was carrying, which had left
| trail Of blood behind him.
The darby was now thoroughly fright
| ened. He saw the alligators' crowding
around mis- little island he knew that at
night they would come up after him; he had
no weapons except knife and a club; he
knew there was no chance OF any one hear
ing his cries. and it was now nearly sun
down. A half-grown alligator came crawl
| ing up toward him, and he Drained it with
club, but it gave MIN no consolation, 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 five
feet or more, but he doubled his ability to
get upon its smooth top, and, even if he got
there. he didn't think be 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, and found that by close at
tenUion and sitting in a 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
compared with this, and called loud and
long for help hour after hour. He knew it
was of no use, but be Kept it up. At last the
first gray streaks of dawn were seen, and
presently came the day. His little mound
was covered with alligatOrs and the swamp
seemed alive with them. He tried to
frighten them away, so that he could at
least sit down and stretch his limbs, but
they crawled all around him, glaring up at
him, opening their horrid mouths for the
feast they knew was coming. The hot rays
of the sun were becoming uncomfortable even
to him, a plantation niger, for he had
kept up his calling for help until his throat
and mouth seemed parched.
He had all this time kept the pig in his
arms, and now IN slightly altering his posi-
ton it dropped to the ground. At once an
| enormous alligator from each side rushed
toward it. 1t was the gauge of battle. and
by the onset. Never did any one witness
| such a combat The enormous teeth and
powerful jaws crashing on mailed size, back
and head, the final advantage gained by
| one in grip under the neck, and the fear
full 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 commo-
ton 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 1T must be his runaway
! hand, and 80 took a crowd of men and
| started after him, and now came upon the
scene. The battle between the alltgators
was finished, and the conqueror was at once
also killed
The Others were driven away, and Ben
was taken off his perch, a chattering, glib
hering 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.