St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-04-19
Srlrrtrh Stnrp.
a GREAT BATTLE.
ebayks and AIligatOrs Fight.

!r,on 70 the New York Sun, was
lDt hattle that ragged off the Pacific
east of Mexico between sharks and
an;oators. Our ship was at anchor
bbscslmed not far from Manzanilla,
ond some OF the officers had gone
" "sbore on one OF the little voyages of
Gscovery that seem to delight navy
men in foreign lands. We learned
rrom some OF the natives of the fight
mb,ch was then in progress, and
cached the battle field when the
combat was at its fercest.
ITO make clear the natural causes
which brought about this Homeric
contest. it will be necessary to de-
scribe the country. Between Man
yanilla and Colima, distance of so
miles. there is large lake OF brackish
wafer, the bed of which is several
fert above the sea. This lake is
about 40 miles long, and was once
more important as a means OF COM
munication between the two places,
particularly, as in Mexico formerly
the roads were beset by brigands,
and land transportation was OF the
most primitive character. The lake
was filled with fresh water fish and
reptiles of all kinds, and the ALI
gators that summed themselves on its
banks often attained a length of from
2Ot 10 80 feet. They were very fierce
when aroused from their accustomed
letbargv, much more vOracious than
even the South American species,
and often seized and devoured men
and large animals. The barrier sep
arating the ocean from the lake is a
bjph saud bank which, though moth
inc more than mere spit OF land,
had been, prior to this time, suffi-
cent to conhne the waters OF the
lake. But a heavy wind storm from
the northeast blew the water of the
lake down TO the south and west,
and piled it up so high as to drive it
over the levee or dam. After short
time crevasse or sluice was formed,
allowing the lake TO drain directly
into the ocean. The rush OF water
from the lake increased. the sluice
became broader, and the 800 square
miles OF lake surface fell four feet.
Millions Of fish came pouring
through the crevasse with the water,
and with these the enormous alliga-
tors tor which the lake had become
noted.
The sluice was 10 feet wide when
we reached it. We stood on one of
the banks watching the enormous
ontrush OF water and fish. The lat
ter had attracted the numerous big
sharks of Mauzanilla bay, and they
had collected by hundreds to gorge
themselves with the dainty morsels
supplied in such an unlooked-for
manner. The alligators, less intent,
perhaps, upon the fish than upon the
rush OF the waters which was carry
ing them on, were met by the sharks
the moment they came out into
deeper water. There the sharks
rushed furiously at the more slothful
alligators, and at once the battle
began. The alligators, of course,
labored under many disadvantages.
Although crocodiles are often known
to swim out to sea and spend whole
weeks in salt water, the alligator is
not found in the ocean. Not alone
were the alligators handicapped by
being out OF their element, they
were also beset by shoal of carniv-
erous fish of prey, many OF them
twice their size and weight, and en-
lowed with activity far greater.
Five or six sharks would attack each
saurian as he came out, not giving
the alligators an opportunity to
form themselves into mass for con-
contracted attack or defense.
The war was waged with the
utmost determination on both sides,
and the alligators, Notwithstanding
many difficulties, and being far out
numbered, put up very good fight.
iney kept the sharks at bay until
hnally scattered by furious on
slaughts. Each fish and reptile
seemed to understand clearly the
character of his antagonist, and the
powerful tails were brought into
requisltion as often as the immense
Jaws. While the alligators were
more slow to move than the sharks,
the latter were obliged to turn over
on their backs before being able to
olte with any effect. This gave the
slh.gators chance to get away and
oTlng their wiry, horney tails into
action. Although the hard, bony
armor of the alligators prevented
mem from turning and swishing
Cheir tails around as rapidly as the
hsn' often they could dash forward
and snap shark before the fish
could turn on his back to bite or get
away, But when one considers that
we shark has speed and activity so
great as to allow him to swim and
70 play easily around the fastest
steamers, it will be very readily seen
mat the issue of the battle was only
question of time. OF course the
amor amor OF the alligator, though i'm.
Peuing his movements, was effica-
eoas Tor time against the blows
a an bites of his adversary. But
a'er a while the constant sharp
tapping of the shark tore it away
OlI Dy bit, and finally with q fnrinus