The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-26
AN ALLIGATOR
EXPE ERIENCE
Cy e. s. TrayI,lore.

To read of being "treed" by either
bear or an angry bull is common.
To read of being treed by alligators
is not common. Then, too, the vic
tim in the first instance is man,
almost without exception, while in
the instance to be related the victim
was a woman, and the writer of this
account.
1t happened number of years ago,
when alligators were more plentiful
in Florida than they are to-day. l
had seen so many Of these creatures
that they did not frighten me, al
though it must be admitted that this
seeing" had been always from a
safe point, and one that could be
left at any moment.
Following my annual custom, as
soon as the snow began to fly 1 be-
took myself with my camera to the
sunny South, and made straight for
a certain small town in Middle Flori-
da, where I had passed several win
ters. The hospitable greetings ever,
I soon settled down to work. and
wandered daily hither and thither
through hummock and pine-land,
for both bordered the neighborhood
of my winter home.
One lovely day started out about
2 o'clock, unaccompanied, as was gen.
orally my choice, except by a small
dog which belonged to the house,
and which had taken a great fancy
to newly, I do not know, for as
I was not very fond Of dogs, he had
not been encouraged, although his
meek devotion had to a certain ex-
tent gained my goodwill. His per-
sistence now won his cause. So by
my side he trotted, his brown eyes
shining with such joyousness that at
last, ashamed to do otherwise, 1 was
forced to make him welcome.
My uncomfortable experience later
on was due primarily to the presence
of Dandy. On the other hand, had
taken warning from his instructive
uneasiness, the probability is that
this story would never have been
written.
My destination was the swamp
land which lay in a certain section
of the hummock; ny object, the pho
tographing of cypress-trees just as
they grew out of the black mud in
the darkness Of region not unlike
that Of THE Great Dismal Swamp"
The way l pursued was lonely
enough, but I was not afraid. The
few natives and negroes that passed
me as I walked leisurely along gave
me a pleasant greeting, for all knew
me and my camera.
I plunged into the forest, and
forced my way along family
marked trail, lodging several rattle
snakes which resented my intrusion,
and at about o'clock found myself
On the border of as desolate region
as the most ardent swamp-seeker
could wish. 1t was dreary stretch
Of shadoWy, ghost-like trees, their
branches woven into an almost jun
gle-like imperetrability by tangle
of parasitic vines, many of which
WSIS SSFSl dl iIlSlSS IL
which hung in fantastic contortions
from the tops, often of the highest
trees.
The faint light that filtered
through the matted growth of leaves
and fcstooned Southern moss was
brown and misty, and fog rose
from the adjacent dank and decaying
vegetation. The water of the swamp
was black, and its CLASSY surface
shimmered at the jar of my footstep
as I crept carefully over a quantity
of fallen canc-brake, so nodded as to
afford a precarious foothold.
The only living creatures in sight
were two lonely boars, no doubt
originally razorbacks, but now en-
tirely wild. Their tusks ratified like
castanets as they stood with chatter
ing jaws, at challenge; but their war
like bravado changed into cowardice
as they espied us, and turning away,
they disappeared in the jungle.
"Quite the place for a whole army
of alligators," l said, half-aloud. as
I picked my way along narrow strip
of land that reached out into the
water. However, it is no time for
thinking about that, for the sun is
getting low and I must make haste"
1t so happened that out of this
strip there grew several struggling
trees. One of these had been broken
off, probably by some storm, and its
top lay bent down so that its branch
es interfered with my tripod as 1
endeavored to pass beyond. l
grumbled a bit at the inconvenience.
not dreaming how important part
this broken tree was to play in my
days experience.
The tree passed at last, only few
moments were needed to set up the
camera, to focus and to take the pic
ture; yet even those moments I be-
grudged, especially the twenty sec
onds required for the exposure of
the plate, for the gloom seemed to
increase so rapidly that most un-
comfortable apprehension seized me.
l noticed, too. that Dandy was odly
affected. for he barked and whined
with great uneasiness. My nervous
ness increased. This was indeed .
hideously lonely spot to be in,
especially for a woman, and night
was coming. There was that long
walk home, and only a family out
lined trail to follow! Truly, never
before had I been so foolhardy.