Smyrna times., 1892-11-09

E, "ione 'he banks as soon as the lighl
bore upon them; back from the stream
v the snarl of the panthers mingled with
! the croaking of innumerable frogs, and
/ aoovc all, the deep-voiced believing of
= aiilgators, indicated that our presence
had become fully known.
, Beholding with awe the wierdness
OF our surroundings, became sudden
~ aware of the object of our expedi-
zion with startling distinctness, by a
binding flash, followed by loud re-
port and an exultant yell from both
Indians. A huge alligator bad ar.
tempted to swim across the straor
ahead OF the boat, turned his head and
seeing the light, became bewilderod
and there with glowing evebalIs
turned toward the light, waited until
lceochee had crashed a rife hall
through one of them, into the sluUoisb
brain. The body Immediately sank.
but by feeling along the bottom with
his harpoon, Iccochee soon found it
and bringing the gator" to the sur.
face, towed it ashore and hauled if nm
on the bank, to remain until the re-.
turn was made, when being stripped
OF Its skin, the carcass would be left tn
the herds of co-morants. that wonId
De sure to be attracted to the feast.
ms trst one was monster surely.
fully fourteen feet long and of the
KIND known as bull" alligators. The
terrible strength of these reptiles is
not confined to one set of faculties
When they strike with their tail. the
OioW sweeps the object directly to
their mouths. With their short FORE
legs they can hold their prev with a
Vice-llke grip under water until it ia
drowned, or they can face an attack.
when desperately wounded, with wide
open jaws directly upon the enemy. and
rend and tear to pieces with their
fearful teeth.
1t appeared that after the first alIi.
gator had been shot, others sought l
their fate from under cover of the !
banks, in quick succession. The nm. :
errlng aim of IccOchee rarely missed !
the only object vulnerable, the glow. !
ing eyes. a
had a mere wOunding occurred at ,
any time, the waters would have been
lashed into fury Of foam, and in that
Case, nothing prevents the saurian
then from charging directly upon their
'ggressors Unwounded, and thew 81
are comparatively harmless. I have f.
been told that in their frantic efforts to
escape, they once overturned a mule "
md negro that happened across the Il
path at the time. W
Iccochee did not desire to kill more tC
lligators than he had salt to rub on y
heir hides, and after seven had been Al
not and towed ashore the return was c.
nade TO camp, going ashore at each hi
olnt and stripping the hides from the VI
cad ilIgators. A well defined black w
nd white line on each side, extending tn
rom the corner of the mouth, clean Y
ack to the tip of the tail, is the med. l
II line of separation. A knife run "
long this line on both sides, and the
zinnlng is done: the upper and lower
a.f peels off much the same as does M
Il eel's skin. 49,
In going back to the camp after the o.
st hide had been taken, Iccocbee no
ad resumed his place aft, and I had
ken of my hat and sat down in the i. iU.
lddIe of the boat with the jack light ar,
my head. Owika, fortunately for am
e, had with him in the bow a rife. sal
1t no light. l had Iccochee's Rem. pa
gton rife across my knees, and was ste
tently watching the Tank in going fav
ong. Suddenly, perceived some get
stance ahead OF the boat, two glow. see see
eyes. 1t seemed to me in them tai
owed desire for revenge. l was not
I sure to what they belonged: Yo
'adily they remained fixed. m anC
Just then / heard Iccocbee,s voioo ~
low mutter, Hist" INSTANTLY ney
sing my rife, l took aim for one Of Ro,
bright balls and fired. Immed. Ihis
ely the waters were lashed and torn ~, ~
IN the convulsions of huge "gator.n You
'ted with what had appeared n CAV
% shot, the boat was brought to the ana
It, and seizing the harpoon, 1 com. .ni9 hIG
need feeling the bottom for the stoc
body. At length the sbarD not
Mt Of the harpoOn touched lny
gator" and instead of piercing
dead body, aroused to vindica.
mess beast but wounded. Com. ..
to the surface, instead of retreating
q mighty lash of its tail, the alli. w W :
Dr. with distended mouth. CHARGED "He' ne
'ctly on the boat. A roar sounding ~
g dreadful than the loudest tbun. .o''
clap, was met by a mufled report n''e'
all was still. owika had thrust puIn ,,
rihe right into the open jaws of the .D' 'ruu' !,
It, and fred into his vitals. We DiO'
ed him up, and with considerable AZ
ing. the two Indians oor.-I,1. Ie'el ''oio slung
- 80 WV A"Ui~hs cOmplimented -. =,
upon the large size of the alligator soV
d shot. muct
now took off tho ,oo,- n. FIVE J
giving than, - 0-, S"p, he v
Tor the service he had rendered ., Du'
e soon mada oo him |
elf on the mos. hed sao., -a1 'Hiowins ,'s Joe,
iuly as ploughboy. These Semi S' sn."s
Indians are absolutely without prav' ,.,'
unerring shots, and capable of ''"'"
card of endurance. D.,
n,aa -. -au ie'urned TO camp they far
oo,.,s ~ Huu. up stream SO that chine
could come the next day and get But
hides. About four O'Clock thav N. :