Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-10-23
WOOL TURNED WHITE
AWFUL EXPERIENCE OF A NEGRO
BESET BY ALLIGATORS.

Swamp-He Held q Pig ON His Back and
Was Surrounded by Hungry sa~urians.
On the edge of a little take about ten or
twelve miles northwest of Tallahassee,
there lives an old negro whom l see and
with whom l talk every time l go hunting
in that direction. At least I have always
supposed he was aged, for though his wife
is a buxom young woman, he is white
haired, though hale and hearty in appear
ance. The last time l was out there l
learned that he was quite young, only
about forty in fact, and that his snowy
locks had a history. After urging I pre-
vailed on him to tell me the story.
1t seems that during the war this negro,
Ben Aiken, had run off, and while hiding
out in 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 find one far enough away from a
plantation.
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 step.
ping on was not a log at all, but quite a
vicious looking alligator.
He had lived long enough among gators
to feel no particular un~easiness over this
one, though he 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-
cluded 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 a retreat,
when he found that his little island was
entirely surrounded by alligators, and he
then realized that they had been attracted
by the shoat he was carrying, which had
left a trail of blood behind him.
A~LLIGAToRs ON EVERY SIDE,
The darby was now thoroughly fright
ened. 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 a knife and a club;
he knew there was no nance of any one
hearing his cries, and it was now nearly
shutdown. A half grown alligator came
crawling up toward him and he Drained it
with a club, but it gave him no c%onsola-
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 five feet or
more, but he doubted his ability to get
upon it's 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, and found that by close
attention 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 he called long and
loud for help hour after hour. He knew it
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 allig2-
tors and the swamp seemed alive with
them. He tried to brighten them away, so
that he could ut least get down and stretch
his limbs, but they crawled all around
him, glazing 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 IBBERIN 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 u gurgling threat from each
was followed by the onset. Never did any
one witness such a combat.
The enormous teeth and powerful Jaws
crashing on mailed side, back and head;
the final advantage gained by one in a grip
under the neck, and the fearful struggle
of the other; the terrible strokes of each
| with his long tail, and the resembling
echoes through the swamp-all, Joined
with Ben hoarse cry for help, made a 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 he 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 off 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.-Cor. st. Louis Globe Dem
ocrat.
Facts About the Heads of Criminals.
The belief of some anthropologists is that
the criminal section Of mankind is distin-
guished by certain definite physical char
acteristics which are susceptible of study
and classification. Generally speaking,
they assert, the habitual evildoer is under
sized, his weight being disproportioned to
his height, with a tendency to flat footed
ness. He is heavy in his movements, lack
ing anatomical symmetry and beauty. Par
ticularly. his head is not symmetrical.
Indeed, of symmetry as to the head
and face is surprisingly prevalent in crimi-
mails, as it is also in the insane. 1t is so