The St. Louis Republic., 1902-09-21

was as thick AZ a mans leg. Il was tyfn0
In the water with q section Of itS bach
exposed Taking II for a dsh. MIR. Dre1e6
Biddle struck it with an oar. Wnsn y
giided away.
Mrs. Drexel-Biddls said that game WaD
everywhere around and about them. but -
first 1t was impossible to see It. AZ hG 90
became accustomed to tho colorfnS Of ne
Everglades she could see the woods eoreees
ing the water and tho water itsek fAixfN
teeming with wild life
For instance. looking directly upon tha
water from the boat there were mot -
many snakes to be seen. but leaning sveR
the gunwale OF their craft and gazing hoss-
zontally across the surface OF the watR
she saw hundreds OF them. their hsads
sticking out just far enough for than -
breathe They gather near the shore un1eo
the branches and in the shade Of The foaAp
age.
While the exel-Biddles and their Gn11e
were working through q narrow watsrWAy
one morning Mrs. Drexel-Biddls espied .
giant rsttler ahead. coiied around . branch
and apparently at peace with himss1 and
his surroundings. When be saw the beat
approaching his content turned to violeo9
rage. but In the interim between his coll
ing and preparations TO strike the pfucky
young woman snapped four pictures Of him.
Mrs. Drexsl-Biddls was in the PROV %
the boat and her husband was right behtnA
ture the snake was within easy Bprtn8in0
distance and just ready to dart. but The
intrepid photographer stepped aside t1D4
In time to allow her husband to strike .
swift blow and end the reptiles career.
On another occasion. Mrs. Drexsi Bid0A
looking over the side Of their boat vAa
nearly bitten by q big moccasin. which vas
lying az fun length on ths surface q th0
water. She jumped back just In time -
escapes its fangs. The current had g1vSA
the boat an unexpected swing and bfougha
Il up against the reeds where the rspsna
lay. Mrs. Drexel-Biddls coolly took her
snaD shot as the snake was coiling. thaA
Mr.. Drexel-Biddls dispatched the deadly
creature with q pole-
In the Everglades even the ash are w1ldss
than the game fish In other waters. A
the boat containing the fair adventures
ascended the waters. schools Of the 0sh,
varying In length from three to i've fest,
would charge toward its PROV a thouRh
they would dash themselves to pieces
against 1t But when they reached the
craft. they would gracefully slide by With
out doing themselves or the boat any harm.
The big alligators that infest the Ever
gladeS were studied at close range by Mr..
Drexel- Biddle. The largest one seen By the
party measured about thirteen feet, hu1
some grow to be even four or i've fese
larger. As they can pass lightly through
tno W8lcS8 IN tn8r canoes ana tnu1 R0S
very close to tho monsters.- the Seminole
Indians are very successful alligator hun
ters-
The Indians decoy the saurfens from tAs11
lair by initiating the alligator grunfa. A
they approach with their heads In the aiR
the Indians shoot them Mrs. Drexel-Bsd-
die saw one drawn fifty feet In this way.
One day the boat ran suddenly into . sehooi
Of alligators. but Mrs. Drexel Biddle found
It impossible to photograph them because
their movements were so rapid.
Mr.. and Mrs. Drexel-Biddle took daily
trips to the edge OF the giades. but did NOT
attempt to sleep In the territory. Among
the strange animals they saw was q wfid
cat climbing a tree. Mfs. Drexel-Bidd1s
snapped It.
They took trips. too. to the Florida Keys
and saw the great sea turtles. some Of
which weigh 2oc0 pounds. come out Of the
waite. to lay their eggs. which the rae
coons from the mangroye bushes frequent
ly eat
On one of their excursion Mr.. Drsxsl-
Biddle killed a gigantic pelican But their
object was not to kill game. II vas sfmply
to enable Mrs. Drexel-Biddle to crafty hen
wish to photograph Wild animals and rsp-s
fileA