Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-02-12


stream widened out into fiat, marshy
prairie. filled with small islands and
quantities of driftwood.
Turning the light full ahead an i'm
mense fellow was seen lying on pile
OF drift and iuten;ly watching the
steering apparatus. With gentle pad
ding the boat approached closer,
twenty feet, fifteen, ten-would the
man never shoot?
\ flash, a roar. and the great beast
dropped suddenly into the water, shot
through the heart. Instantly some
part of the body is grappl-d with the
boat nook TO prevent its sinking for
ever, and with pulling and hauling it
Is got ashore.
The next one shot was swimming at
little distance, only his eyes and
snout being above water. but AL eX-
ploSive bullet sent with unerriug aim
crushed into lis brain. aud after a few
minutes work he. too, was lying on
the bank.
Occasionally the animal sinks 10 the
bottom aud j. lost oftener he i only
wounded and rrawls away 10 die by
inches, while occa >iouallya a sharp fight
eu>ues between huut~r aud hunted.
ard a pair OF jaws crunching the gun
wales of the boat il no laughing mat
ter
Proceeding up the creek about a
mile we came to u place where two
streams met and on a point Of land lay
three. vary ing in size from seven 10
ten feet Approaching in the same
manner a. before. two shots were
fired. apparently killing one and
wOundiug a second.
The wounded one slid into the water
aud swan softly by the boat ; "a it
passed | blew the top OF his head Off,
bur before | could grab him Ee >uLk
All this took Uut III meut, but that
was long enough forsome lively scenes
TO br transacted on land The appar-
emily dead gator was the smallest Of
the three, bur be was the liveliest corpse
| ever saw
One of the men landed 10 examine
him aud inadvertently got within
reach Of his tail, which appeared sud
denly 10 become possessed OF extraor
dinary life. and in an instant he was
lying seuseleSs on his back dozen
teet away. The blow was n light one,
however, as. under ordinary circum
stances, it is sufficient to break the
legs Of horse.
\ second shot finished him. The in
jured man gave place TO another al
the rifle aud the sport continued until
long after midnight. Five gators in
all were killed, the skins of which.
when cured. represented about SO
not bad nights work.
An alligator is naturally timid. but
mother in defense OF her eggs or
young is one Of the most furious ami
mails imaginable After the eggs are
deposited in the spring they are Gov
cred with dirt and debris Of various
sorts, the whole forming mound
about two feet high and four feet
long over this the female watches for
weeks until the Young appear, when
her vigilance redoubles.
Clumsy in appearance, they can.
when occasion requires, get over the
ground with remarkable swiftness
progressing in long leaps. Under
these circumstances the best thing il
to take to u tree and call for help. E>-
cape can also be made by turning
quickly, care being taken 10 keep ont
Of reach Of the tail
No nan has any business alone in
the swamps he can never tell at what
moment he may need help, aud that,
too. when miles away from any human
being aud where, perchauce, months
afterward another hunter may cone
upon his bleaching bones 10 tell TIE
tale. Thi, j, why two men invariably
hunt together in the great wilderness
Of the south and why so few serious
accidents occur Washington Star.