Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1893-08-12

neck, but | found. to nv horror. that
i couldn't let her 20, a. all at once she
coilti herself around my legs. II
"Bv good fortune one OF my as.ist-
ants was standing NEAR. / called :or
him AMI IL came rushing up 10 me,
knowing bv the sound of my voice that
there was something very dreadful the
matter. AMI s, indeed there vas, for
saw II was going to he g fight for life
or death. However, | Kept perfectly
cool e II gave the order To NV assist
ant II Try and uncoil the serpent, which
b. attempted t. 10 as we'll Is he pos
siblv could | also managed to with
lra" my legs from her coils Then
dropped, holding her tight all the
time, ~ was det rnined to get h~r
into tie box. ,end didn't want II have
all THAI Il ouhlc Tor nothing, continued
u" bravo men rs coolly ~ one could
possibly imagine.
"Iioacycr,%I he went on, Il WASH,
out q the WOODS, even then, as You
English call 1t, for just as thought ]
We getting SWAY aI right and could
get her safely into the box th9 last
p thon II the cage, atremcndous giant.
also, trio 10 attack me. AS soon as /
saw this ! called out to my assist .nt to
throw q blanket over her This he
managed t. do. At the same moment
I moved backwards out Of tha CAGE and
got trct vi If altogether an then | hal
u little rest. NJ men tried t. dissuale
me from going back, each Of them say
ING they wonll not 10 IL | felt very
exhausted. but lny temper was fairly
mp and | determined | wouldn't be
1oatcn. SO, after a few moments, I
stepped again into the cnyn, caught
:hc1n both round the backs Of their
aecks, dragged them as quickly as [
,ould to the edge Of tho cage. and then
~t"tIii 10 VIC fittli1 tiICilt III 20 tllc DON.
Had not my assistants been near me
1othlng could have saved me from be-
tng squeezed TO death All! it was q
:erriblo adventure" continued Mr..
Hagenbock, "anl don't want SINH
ar experience again. Now come and
ff1.Ai nI 7 t1ii
Of an adventure | hal with them"
Passing by an enormous avinrv, in
which tiuttered and screamed thou
sands of beautiful parrots, we came at
last to large tank in which were slow
" padding round some spitcful look
ing alligators "There,' said Mr.
Hagcubcck, as he pointed t. the cruel
looking beasts, Il hal Il yhastly all
venture with them once I had to
pack sixteen of them up for the Dns-
sclaorf Geological Gardens. | grapplcl
hold of the first one and wes pulling
him ashore, when he gave IL frighful
blow with his tail and knockef no into
the tank, where for brief moment, |
was alone with fifteen nlllg#tprs.
Those who We're standin2 h. toi't ~ ,
that as soon rs | splash Il III q number
Of them made a rush. However. I wa~
ont again like an India ruhber
ball; but thn whirl % th" water ~&nl
the open jaws -of the dis ipnpint"
beasts told Inc that had not been uttc
second too smart This was vcrv
narrow escape ns if one ot tho croep-
diles had happened - get hold of IA,
all the rest would have attacked II,
swapping and biting at m II on.' ~
the same moment. until til"re would
have been nothing left q pa n al
"Allicators are the most determine !
fighters even amongst themseiS <
Six Of them, each about fourteen feet
i long, had o frighful fight amoncs'
themselves once. and So desperately
ill they fight that within fourteen
days they were oil dead. Three o
them had their jaws broken. ana Il
some cases their legs were torn rich
ont Of their bodies This occurred al
night. and one of the keepers. happen
ing 70 hear the frightiul noise which
was made by tho clashing Of their jaws
rushed oil 10 tell me what vas happen
in. We lit our lanterns ani hurrle-
t. the scene ot action. Int beyond ;r1.'
ing T. separate them with long poles i
was little we could do They woulc
only renew the fight Will. create
6ercencss than ever. anl e territl,
were they wounded that, a ea'i
they were al dead II fortnight
Now. when | get new consignment
0: allirators | always nuzzle them II