The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1891-06-20

NJ
Alligator hunting by night Is the
great sport In Florida. Ia their pres
cht panic-str. cisen condition the ALI
gators seldom go far away from the
water In tho daytime. but make all
their overland journeys at night They
are growing very uneasy a. tho ad-
vance OF civilization. and have learned
to shun both men and steamboats,. So
frightened have they become that re-
peatad trips may 10 made tho entire
length OF tho 81. Johns liver without
IA single specimen being seen. Alliga-
tor hunting wgs formerly one OF the
most lucrative pursuits in Florida. Us
well rs Il source of Infinite nmnse-
ment TO tourists. Tho reptiles were
slaughtered In great numbers all over
the State. They seemingly possess no
intelligence whatever. and aro notably
slo,hfgl. but havo learned that safety
Is found only In La ~ fight and se-
c!uslon. u former years they were
shot ut random By cxcu sionls,, from
tho deck 81 nearly every stoamboa.
tina. nnvl gated th3 lake, rad river, OF
tho State. but now the iron c,ud rule
Is everywhere ea'orcol on board that
alligators must not b, seriously dis
turbed by either passengers or en-
ployns, This regulation hh, been
rendered necessary tn satisfy women
AID children who constantly complain
OF being In Florida Tor weeks without
ever seeing II sing'o real i've alligator
In II, native hauntt. Under prusen,
condition. nlllgnto, hunting by day
High, has bccom, tedious EnI un-
profitable in most part, OF tho pen
!nsula. and II novel schiml for killing
them nj night ha, been adopted. The
hunters equip 'hCmsc.yc, with guns.
revolver. and buifs-.yo lanterns Tho
alligator track /, reached soon after
dark. for ,hi n'iign.ors begin To moy.
early In tho nj III. Tho track, mr..
NJ plainly marked n, wagon roads.
and ars made by tho reptile,
constantly irayc'!a; from one
LAKE. river or svB'np another. Tho
niil;a,nrS can rs heard at considerable.
Distance labpr.1u.iy approaching.
Tho mra prs'fEys n1' lutte ailonc, un-
I'll tho nlilsI;lrs reach tho proper
Pnlnt mad then tuga ia 'lr bai,'s-sys,
upon ih"m. Tho dazzling stream Of
Hight scemIng'Y pa 7..ys,', tho reptiles.
md they stop short Ia ;hol- Journey.
Their eyes bulge ou, ruI sparkle. and
NJ these c'ls'ou!ng orb, tho hunter.
dire, th-ir nl'n. II il useless 1, shoe,
I'll" n'!isa.N-' except In tho open
month or under tn . throat. ntth- tho,
Is repo'lei hy 'hr : ugh skin or other
psr's Of tic hldy. producing no PER-
s"pliblp effect. .Sf,p; Ia Instance, ,o
rSAsprra,s the rgp;i!pt % icnEled r.
distance II ono cas,. between lai.p.
Nellie and Louisa. la ,hl, county, n
!cs dag. h.o. ia alligator supposed
10 b. fatally .ha, showed Ugh, when
approached. aai knocked ono Of
tho iH-n uncbus.iou. with II.
tall. fcarin; u shoe. ,h,n brcau,,
OF passlhlu Injury 10 :h-ir companion.
tho other huH,rrs attacked tho frro-
c,ogs r'p'il, with clubs. on, Of which,
four or hva inuAe1 In diameter. VA.
seized In III. iapnsier'. jaws and
tis,ry-saltAayS'f' " r.mats Tho hide.
and teeth. While the bodies m, lcf, "a.
ioo-i for tho aimcruu, bu..Ari.. which
nro hor. protected by tho las. Tho
hides .uii for from ono dollar To three
dollar. each. and tho teeth for n,
much. tho former bc,n. In demand for
III. manufacture OF ysriaa, leather
roo-is. nni tho latter Ia 10 ~o k-i up
Into io-elry aad other ornaments.
Hall a"s"n -aicrp.l.lns mon can
capture from ono 1, n sror, Of alliaa.
tor. In single Might. tho number do.
pending la ..-ly on ,h, locality select.
cd and tho conditions %, III, weather.
II tho migratory rrnpcnsit,.s o. tho
alligator. continue :, develop. - tina.
thcy can b. reached s.ihout rucoun.
toring tho dangers of tn. .wanp.,
thcy will b, practically cx,.r,nlua,c,!
throughout this region within III,
ncS' few year. -Cor. Chicago Herald.
-"Wha: will l., tho ,ni Of tho hu.
man race" inquired tho orator. and
on, fellow in III, audi-uc. remarked