The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-20

: luck with crocodies. While we were
 talking my man suddenly stopped row
 ing and pointed to the reef. As
 turned in that direction long tail was
 lifted out of water coming down with 6
 powerful splash, and then a long, ali
 gator-like body became visible and i'm
 mediately disappeared, causing smal
 wake to follow as it moved away.
 Crocodile said the man.
 What? Out here? Nonsense
 man!' exclaimed one of my companions
 "'You saw it, sir?' said the man
 turning to me. No shark could look
 like that. It was either a crocodile or
 an alligator, and never heard of an al-
 ligator coming out to sea-
 Tt was an easy question to settle,
 and the boat was turned In the direction
 of the animal, the man in the bow talk
 ing out the harpoon-a three-pronged
 affair--and examining it to see if the
 rope was attached. The boat was
 rowed slowly, the men making as little
 noise as possible, the location of the an-
 imal now being indicated by swirl of
 water not seventy feet away. Whatev-
 CT 1t was, it was evidently feeding in
 the shallow water. Not a word was
 said as the boat slowly drifted up; the
 harpooner stood erect and ready, when
 suddenly, fifteen feet from the boat, up
 came the broad, corrugated back of a huge crocodile, and the next moment a sharp pointed muzzle protruded from
 the water, having in it's jaws ray, which 1t tossed from side to side, en- deavoring to tear the wide body asun- i der.
 Tt was a crocodile, there was no doubt in our minds, and so busily en- gagged was it that it did not see the boat until 1t had covered. five or six feet more. Then the harpooner leaned back, and, as the big head turned, he threw the iron.
 We'll struck' cried some one, as the iron hit the animal trembling as it kept it's place Then the great tail came 1 hissjng out of the water, struck the slender mast (the man dropping into | the bottom of the boaO and broke 1t off | as cleyerly as if 1t had been done with a knife.
 | Look out for the line! Jump to wind'ard Stern all hands' were the orders that followed, as, in those few seconds, the crocodile had made des- perate rush, jerked the boat so ropidly to one side that she almost tipped over, and was now away like racehorse, headed for the mainland, with an omin- ous wave in front that threatened now and then to come aboard and swamp the light craft. We all laid low as far in the stern as we could get, to keep the bow out of water while the steed raced on.
 q knew we would have to stop this before we reached shallow water, as the animal would make a rush over some shallow and break the rope; so when we had gone perhaps half a mile took the line, passed 1t aft and we all began to haul in,. This only excited our racer to more fervent efforts, and he turned suddenly, again almost tipping the boat We gradually gained on him until the boats bow was just over his slashlng tail that twas beating the surface with powerful 1ateral blows and forcing him along. We had rifle in the boat and my man now took it. and, aiming at the neck. fired. There was little doubt as to its effect. as the crocodile stopped, plunged head down, striking the bottom in the shallow water, and, seemingly standing on its head, swept the surface with its tail like a whale. We had the oars ready and backed, but not before ore had been struck and broken and the boat nearly filled.
 "All at once" continued the planter, after short pause. "our game lighted and plunged ahead savagely, then swam in circle and finally keeled over, whereupon we raised shout of triumph and hauled alongside. He was a beau- ty-not twenty feet long, by any means, but at least fifteen; a splendid speci- men of seagoing crocodile. As he was too large to tow in, it was decided to haul him aboard. To accomplish this the seats were lifted out and rope made fast to his tail and he was then slowly and carefully hauled in: finally, when the body was balanced across the boat, he was slung around and dropped in lengthwise. The seats were then put on top of the body, and, flushed with victory, we started for camp, now in sight.
 Tt was rather difficult to use the oars, as the animal was higher than the gun vale. but we made fairly satisfactory progress, and were close enough to camp to shout the news when the un- expected happened-an earthquake would not have created greater con sternation. The dead crocodile rose into | the air as if impelled from below. form | ing a great hoop and lifting seats and | oarsmen several feet, then dropped back and began a series of struggles that | turned the tables completely. Seizing the forward seat in it's jaws, it ground and twisted the soft pine, while the powerful tail carried devastation wher- ever 1t struck, and presently the water poured in, sending us all overheard. l jumped just ahead of the flying tail that sounded like whip-lash when 1t struck, the other men either falling or rolling overheard.
 Fortunately the water was not over three feet in depth, so we waded to a safe distance, and, powerless to do any tsthing, awaited the end. It soon came. The crocodile cleared the decks literally, regained it's upright position md crawled over. sinking the boat which rolled and dumped him into his natural element, when with a rush he vas off. AS the boat moved away we lung ourselves after her, clinging to the 'ail, and for short distance the sauri- Tn lowed us all. But the boat, full of