The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-08-08

The Awful Experience OF q Negro up
stump and beset by Aligators.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.

The Awful Experience OF Negro up
stump and beset By Alligators.
From the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat.
TALLAHASSEE, July lon the
edge of a little lake about ten OF
twelve miles northwest of here there
lives an old negro whom see and
with whom l talk every time 60
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 ap-
pearance. The last time I was out
there l learned that he was quite
young-only about 40, and that his
snowy locks had history. After
urging I 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 in the woods sub
sisted as best he could on wild fruits,
some game, young corn and an &C.
casional chicken, if he was so fortu-
ate as to find one far enough away
from a plantation. One day he hap
pened to slip up on 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 in
the act of stepping on was not log
at all, but a vicious-looking alligator.
He had lived long enough among
gators to feel no particular uneasi-
ness about this one, though he also
knew they were mean to have
around. Ben stepped back to
the mound he was on (Which was
only ten feet square) and concluded
to wait until the sluggish creature
moved on. But the "gator" after
awhile aroused himself, and in COM
pany with four or FIVE others started
toward Ben. The negro concluded
to beat a 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 carry
ing, hich had left a trail of blood be- |
hind him.
The darky was now thoroughly
frightened. He saw the alligators
crowding around his little island he
knew that at night they would come
up after him he had no weapons ex-
cep: a knife and a club; he knew
there was no chance of any one hear
ing his cries, and it was nearly sun
down. A half-grown alligator came
crawling up toward him, and he
Drained it with club, but it gave
him no consolation, for he knew he
could not keep that up through the
night. There was one cypress tree
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, il,
was doubtful, even then, if he would
be out of reach of their jaws. Being
the only chance, however, he tried it,
and found that by close attention and
sitting in very cramped position,
he could keep his place upon the
stump.
Night came on and he became
sleepy. He dared not close his eyes.
He did everything possible to keep
himself awake. Finally, captivity
itself would be a blessed relief com.
pared with this land he called loud and
long 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 alligators, and the
swamp seemed alive with them. He
tried to brighten them away, so that
AC SOUAA az IC0SC SlC uOW dUu
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, "planta-
ton nigger," 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 al
tering his position it dropped to the
ground. At once an enormous ALI
gator from each side rushed towards
it. 1t was the gauge of battle, and
gurgling threat from each was fol-
lowed 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
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