The morning news., 1894-11-01
AN ALLIGATOR STORY.
A Thrilling Adventure Between Nan and
MaleateT.
The Beast Attacked a Boat - A Few
Facts About Gators by One Who
Knows Them

From the New York Press
A great deal that has been written about
alligators appears to have come from the
pens of tourists who spend a brief sea-
son in Florida, when alligators are en-
joying their long nap in the bottom of the
lakes or covered with mud in the swamps
1t is safe to say that they have never met
the ancient saurian in his native haunts.
If an alligator meets you on land, he is
at your mercy If you meet him on the
water, the conditions are reversed.
An alligator's tail is his weapon of de-
fense, and it is a good one. If the gator
is an old one, from 10 to 16 feet his tail
will be from 8 to feet. 1t Is nearly as
large as the body back of the hind legs and
gradually tapering to a point. This he can
bring around with such force as to break
a mans leg.
One singular thing about an alligator's
trailing on land is that no matter at what
point of the compass the next lake is To-
Gated, when he starts, he takes the short
est cut; surveyor could not make a more
direct air line.
had a colored boy about l2 years old,
what we call yard boy" He would at
times go down to the bath house when
there was not a sign Of an alligator on the
lake and with a hoe splash the water and
bark like a dog. Presently two or three
pairs Of eyes would be seen just above
the water. Their eyes are very prominent.
sitting, or perhaps I should say jutting,
out from their heads. AS the boy barked
and splashed the water. they would come
nearer and show more of their bodies.
When they got within fifteen or twenty
feet the boy would drop the hoe and run
up the hill as though a tribe of Indians
were after him.
The negroes have an idea that an all-
gator prefers a black man to a white man,
and they say that a gator will swim all
around white men IL there is negro in
the crowd. The negroes look upon the
gator as q natural enemy, The greatest
danger is from their capsizing the boat.
They will grasp person by the leg and
sink Immediately, leaving no escape from
drowning
Two years ago, during orange packing
time, not wishing to spare one of the men
from work to go to town every day for
mail, / made a small cypress boat, not
more than ten feet long II was so light
and easy going that could cover the dis
tance of one mile in nine minutes. After ]
had the boat finished l painted 1t red, "a
strong, bright red" as the Dutchman said
One day ] went about forty feet from
the shore / soon saw an ugly looking
fellow about four feet above the water,
partly hidden in weeds. / noticed slight
motion as l passed. so l concluded to re-
turn, in hopes of seeing him slide into the
water, as they usually do, and thus secure
his dimensions But l was greatly sur
prised to see the monster rise and plunge
into the water like a man taking header.
l had heard of such thing but in my ten
years residence on the lake this was the
first plunge / ever really saw. This, to-
gether with his immense size, warned me
that | had encountered a dangerous
enemy.
He struck the water about twenty-five
feet from the boat. and as he passed un-
der 1t l felt and heard his rough scale-like
hide rub on the keel of the boat. Instant
ty l thought my time had come; all the
blood in my body rushed to my heart and
it beat against my ribs as though ii would
come out. If he should capsiZe the boat
would have never lived to write this
episode. He came up about twenty-five
feet on the other side and turned toward
the boat He churned the water with his
tail until the lake looked like Buttermilk
Falls. ] knew he was mad and that he
was determined 10 get at me. re came
towards the boat with his jaws wide open
at such speed that If he had struck It 1t
would have gone to pieces. Death, a hor-
rible death, was staring me IL the face,
and no help at hand. There were some
people on the opposite shore watching the
battle, but they had no boat, and II they
had they could not have reached me in
time to be of any service.
/ realized that l must keep cool If would
win the fight. ! suddenly became as
strong as a lion, my jaws set and my teeth
ground on each other. As he came near
the boat ] pulled on my oar with all my
might. This swung the Doe around so W.
passed each other side by side. lie was
going at such speed that he went fifteen
or twenty feet before he turned and then
he had to make a large circle, lashing the
water into a foam. ] tried to get away
from him, but he was between the boat
and the shore and 1t would be folly to push
toward the middle of the lake. He was
disappointed, mad furious and came for
the canoe with renewed vlgor
/ must either kill or be killed
] again pulled on my off oar, and what
made the situation more desperate, the
other oar slipped from its lock and slid
into the lake. There was no time TO be
lost In trying TO recover it, for In another
instant the battle would be lost or won
man or gator. Quick as lightning / raised
the remaining oar ana broght II down
with all my power. aiming for his eyes
II fell short Of the mark. but struck hin
on the end OF the nose He spurted blood
and hesltated. That was fatal TO him, foi
! the next instant ! struck him across tht
eyes. He stopped. and commenced sink
| ing. and another blow sent him out OF
! sight.
| The spot was watched for some days ant
at last he was found summing himself In
] 49, bnf hf ana uk Ia
ured "a feet and was thought 10 be 81
years old. The old alligator hunters said
! that he attacked the boat because II was
red, so for future safety painted Red
/ Rover white. I send you a photograph OF
| the old fellow, taken the afternoon hC
I was shot.
Informatlon-"Sp and you arr
| a dead mani
The pistol bah Steamed under th'