The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25
lLLIolroRs Ar SoHE.
CIunsy o.. LsHs, bot Abis AaverNss's' !"
the water.

- NNSNNHs
INom the Denrer Repubtoan.
II an alligator meets you on land he is at FOUR
mercy. II you meet him on the water the con-
ditions are reversed. On land he h an swkward
fellow. His clippers are not made fOT walking.
and he gets along through perseverance, ana
endurance. in moving on land he lifts his body
up, but drags his tail en- the ground. making a
trail as though with a stick. An allieators tail
Is his weapon Of defence, and II Is a good one.
II the gator is an old one. from 10 to 10 feet
his tail will be from 3 to 8 feet II Is nearly
a. large ne tue body back OF the hind legs
bring around with such force as TO break .
mans legs. nc NIL WI Te Uy she s vsnt oI loo near near
the gator will switch around his tail and break
the animals legs and dine on zeal At mis-
Une singular thing atout an slligstor's trail.
ing on land is that no matter. at what point or
starts he takes the shortest cut; a sur eyor
could not make a more direct air line. one
times he was very ferocious. The next morn
ing, on an investigation. 1 found the trsh oIe
large slligaat9nr RI. through dnloT my y,% grange sed sbhS es some me
sort ~ discussion with the dog. When, he got
70 the front fence the boards we're 90 close 70;
over. using his big tail Ne n sort OF boost.
In April and Msy the males make = great
noise, believing like q bull. In the latter part
OF May they make a nest, selecting a quiet place
on the banks OF a lake or river. " Will be two
or three feet long. Dutlt OF SUCKS, grass, nHu
sand. The female lays from twenty-six to, thir-
ty-two eggs. They are as pig around as a mems
egg and md nearly earl twiee 10 a, ,b lon ssr,a B1 sssrs suH wh eqe
they are either Matched or blown out.
While the alligator Is clumsy and awkward on
land, he Ii very graceful and swift in the water.
lie is monarch OF the inland waters. My house
Is about 2UU feet from the lake and 20 feet
above 1t. From my gallery with a ned glass
interesting to see how gracefully they rise sink'
turn. or swim at full speed after a trout.
we ! e ssa a ySi9Tf Say S@Sy fGO did al ali Einds orc OF c;h re
He would at times go down TO The boat house
lake, and with a hoe splash the water and bark
like a dog Presently two or three rai Fse 81
should dFS say ysj %jyuttins. out from their heads. As
would come nearer and nearer. aud show more
OF their bodies. When they yot within niteea
or twenty v feet the boy would 1ha d nf pIb shs moe w Sas
after him. The negroes have an idea that an
alligator prefers q black man, to q white one;
and they say that a gator will swim all aronnc
white men II there is a negro in the crowd. Tho
negroes look upon the gator as q natural enemy.
but he is q powerful and wicked assailant in the
water. The greatest danger Is, from their cap
by the leg and sink Immediately. leaving no
escape from drowning. Within q radius OF four
q e. s from ahI ks SIaIn,,y Fl Ia. s aiiards sas ra s1s'y spors
game. They are pretty we'll thinned out now
hunting them for their hides. There was a time
when a good-sized hide would fetch $40 to $l4.
but now they do not bring more than 81 and 81.
But some hunters make good wages.
Two years ago. during orange-packing time,
nc hot so w ts ,aWn 70 ey sprfe d SY1 for mail. I made a small |
cypress boat not more than ten feet long. IL
was so light and easy going that could cover
had the boat finished Lpainted 1t red strong,
bright red" as the Dutchmau said. inst. as
was starting TO town one day Or. Whitfield Of
Grand Rapids, :. d., who was seeking health u |
hunting gators, told me that a yhopping big
on Shaw's grove near an old wharf.
Hes wh9pper." ssid the Soctor. and you !
When approached the place I went about forty
an ugly-looking fellow. He was about four feet
ticed a slight motion As l passed. so concluded
to return, in hopes Of seeing him slide into Tho
dimensions. But 1 was greatly surprised 70 SEQ
The monster rise and plunge in the water ike q
faams .nesnE Z h nsaf heard 81 Of ~ such Ha a I thinsi BUT Re IN
ten years residence On the lake this was the
FIRST plunge ever really saw, This, together
with his immense size. warned me that | had \
a dangerous enemy.
He struck the water about twenty five feet
hIs heard III his G rough scale he liz Ris'I hide an rub on the he'i teei.
thought my time had come: all the blood in
ribs as though II would come out. He came
about twenty-five feet on the other side,and
turned toward the boat. He chuTned the water
Ata AAAN 1880
determined to get at me. He came toward
The boat with his jaws open at such speed tina. If
he had struck II IL would have gone To pieces.
Death. n horrible death, was staring me in tho
face. and no help ut hand. There were some
on the opposite shore watching ho battle.
but they had no boat. and II they had. could not
reach me in time to be OF any service.
/ realized that ! must keep cool II I would win
he fight. As he came near the boat. pulled on
off oar with all my might. This swung the
boat around SO we passed each other side by
,ide. He was going at such speed that he went
fifteen or twenty feet before he turned. and then
he had 10 make a large circle. flashing the water
nto a foam. l tried To get away from him. but
ne was between the boat and the shore. and IL
would be folly to push toward the middle of the
axe. He was disappointed. mad, furious, and
anne for the canoe with renewed vigoI.
i again pulled OH my or oar, and the other
var slipped from its lock and slid into the
AXE. There was no time to be lost in trying 10
'ecover IL, for in another instant the battle
would be lost or won, man or gator. Quick as
| raised the remaining oar and brought
I down with all my mower. aiming for his eyes.
{ fell short OF the mark, but struck him on tho
nd of the nose. He spurted blood and hesitated.
That was fatal to him, for the next instant I
truck him across the eyes. He stopped and COM
nenced sinking, and another blow sent him out
sight
The spot was watched for some days, and at
he was found summing himself in his old bed,
Vhen he was shot. He measured fourteen feet
nd was thought TO he 80 years old. The old
hunters said that lie attacked the boat
ecause IL was red.