The morning call., 1891-08-03
MR.. S0LARI'S PERIL.

Severely Bitten by Two Louisiana ALI
gators in the Pond at Spanish Fort.
The impression prevails generally, princi-
pally among hunters and swampers that the
Louisiana alligator is comparatively harm
less as far as attacking human being is
concerned. Ii any one was TO tell one that
an alligator had attacked him he would
laugh, wink his eye and say, fish story or
point with his finger 10 to his cranium as if
to lmpugn the mental faculties as we'll as
the veracity of his speaker.
That the alligator Will attack a human
being and that the louisiana species can be
and Is as savage as either the Florida .Satl-
Wan, his first cousin. the Egyptian crocodile
or his celestial relation the Indian Cay
man, was amply demonstrated at Spanish
Fort last Sunday, and the result was that
we'll known citizen OF this city, Mr.. Baptiste
SOlari of rs Camp street. came within an
ace Of losing his left arm and hand.
AT Noyes restaurant, at Spanish Fort,
there is large pond about three feet deep
and surmOunted by beX or fence about
FIVE feet above the surface of the ground, so
that a medium sized man must ascend one
or two steps in order TO secure good view
of the REPTILES.
In the pond are a number of Young alli-
gators as well as several old ones, the latter
being about seven or eight feet In length
Last Sunday MI SOlari was at Noyes with
party OF friends, and in strolling through
the grounds MIR. Solari approached the pond
and mounting two steps commenced play
ing with the young alligators, thrusting at
them with his walking-cane.
The young alligators kept swimming
around TO get out of reach of the cane, and
Mr.. SOlari moved around the fence in pur-
suit. Two mOnStrouS big fellows in the
aquarium eyed him suSpiciously as he
walked around, turning slowly and keeping
him directly In front of them and in full
view. Mr.. Solari stopped moment, one of
the big fellows being on one side and the
second one Oh the other side of and in front
of him. They occasionally gave vent to a
snort, followed by kissing noise, but he
did not pay much attention to these demon
strations OF wrath on the part of their ali-
gatorships, feeling quite secure on his elevat-
ed position, so lar IRON The water and with
a strong board fence between himself and
them. AS if actuated by single impulse
and at the moment that Mr.. SVlari was least
expecting 1t the two alligators gave each
bound and sprung for him with jaws dis
tended. His lett arm grasping the cane was
extended and both OF them selected this MS
the object Of their attack. Mr.. Solari sought
to jerk his arm out of reach of the reptiles
jaws, but he did not succeed. for the hand
encountered the upper row Of sharp teeth
of the larger alligator and as the
lower jaw (Which, by the way, is
the one used by the Louisiana alligator
in masticating or biting) closed upon Mr..
So!arl'S naud, l0ur OF the lower teeth sunk
into the flesh on The outer side Of the hand
below the little finger and inflicted four
small deep punctures. Four upper teeth
fastened in the back of his hand near the
fore-fnger, and in withdrawing it, which lie
did in great hurry. four long scratches or
cuts. two of them quite deep. were inflicted.
Mr.. Solari, though receiving painful wounds,
which bled profusely, would not have es-
capped even this had it not been for a very
fortunate circumstance. The alligators, in
ieaping at him, came from opposite drec-
tons, and both coming for common object
came into collision just as the teeth OF one
closed on the hand. The force of this
collision in mid air was great and prevented
the alligator 2rasping the hand and arm as
firmly as it would most probably have done
but for the accident.
physician was summoned and Mr.. So
lari's wounds dressed, and since have been
healing rapidly. Mr.. Noyes, upon being
apprised of the accident, expressed the ut
most surprise, as he had not the least idea
that his pets were so blood thirsty. He said
that he had been in the habit of feeding
them daily and had never known them to
attack any one. His wife had frequently
warned him to be cautious, and in the fu-
ture, he said, he would be very careful how
he approached them.-New Orleans States.