The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-02-04

andria. La. We took transportation down the
old Mississippi River on June % on the Gray
Eagle. The writer was left at Yicksburg
while taking Serg't g. q. Young, Of Co. b, to
the hospital.
After lying over there some IL hours pas
sage was secured and We were once more steam
ing down the river at a rapid rate. July 4 is
remembered as a very clear day. the sun she'd
ding its rays of intense heat all day without
the appearance Of single cloud, and the boat
being very heavily ladened with troops and
supplies. the progress was very slow, after reach
ing Red River. in winding up the stream. At
that season Of the year the water is very low
and sand bars quite frequent, which gave fine
Accommodations for alligatOFs to bask in the sun.
They became very numerous in the middle Of
the day as the heat became more intense and
almost uuendurabl by those who were taking
passage on the boat. The river being lined
with timber and cane all along the bottoms,
and all chances for current Of air being cut
off, think / am justified in saying it was just
the right kind of a day for alligatOrs and the
more we assembled the stream the thicker they
were, and to pass away time and have little
fun a squad of soldiers were formed on the bow
of the boat with their guns, and in rounding
the bends Of the river, where the banks were
slOping and facing the s0u5h, these saurians
were often seen in numbers of from six to ~
lying almost side by side, and some Of them
with their huge jaws open catching dies.
When they began to discover US we would
give them q volley. 1t furnished great sport
for some time. Sometimes we were able to get
within fifty OF sixty rods before they would
tumble off into the river. | don't know as any
were killed, but many times they were hit
They seemed cunning, rs they would always
lie where with one or two hOp5 they could
reach the water and 90 under.
But while camping at Alexandria we got the
g.. e. . H., a 81 =.
way. Hay was brought 10 US baled, and on
barges, which were tied up along the bank.
We then placed q guard on il, and about the
Ist OF August, Just below the barge a darby
boy some eight or 10 years of age set his fish
pole at the edge Of the river aud went back
some 20 feet against the bank To watch it, I5
was very warm, and he fell asleep. The senti-
mel on guard on the barge soon saw u motion
Of the water and was about TO call to the boy
that he had got fish, when he saw an alliga-
tor peeping his nose out toward the urchin
asleep ; so no quietly sigualed to two of his
comrades with their guns. They secreted them
selves behind the bales OF hay, not more than
40 feet distant and did not wait long before
Mr. Alligator began slowly to move towards the
bow. who still remained snOOzing. and when he
was fairly out of the water the three boys
fired and gave yell. The alligator Topped
the darby boy yelled Massa, Massa, Use
kotched, Use kotehed," and in less than a
iify the boys came pouring over the bank and
a rope was secured that lay on the barge, and
Mr.. Alligator was snaked back on the bank
and pronounced dead the three balls having
taken effect in the neck and shoulders, and
when the tape line was placed at his nose and
run along the back to his TAIL the measure
ment was IA feet and eight inches.
We might say that puta dampeT on the boys
going in swimming for a few days, but it soon
cot to DO DID, and the river was lined about
SHUTDOWN every day with 200 or 900 who were
in bathing; it being understood that alliga-
tors would hardly ever touch body OF persons
in the water. but several of the boys were
raked with gar fsh.-O. s. SIssON, Co. b, %
Wis Cav, West Salem. Wis