The new South-news., 1908-03-14
AN ALLIGATOR
EXPERIENCE

almost Without exception. while is
the instance to be related the victim
was woman. and the writer Of this
account.
II happened a number Of years ago
when aiilEators were more plentiful
In Florida than they are to-day.
had aren 20 many ~ these creatures
that they ala not frightcn me. al.
though n must be admitted that this
seeing had been always from a
safe point. and one that could be
left az any moment
Following my annual custom, NJ
soon as the snow began 10 ny I be.
took myself with my camera to tho
sunny South. and made straight for
certain small town IN Middle FIorl.
da. whore | had passed several win.
ters. The hospltable greetings over.
soon Hcttied down 10 work, and
wandered daily hither and thlther
through hummock and plne-land.
for both bordorod the nelghborhood
OF my winter home.
Ono lovely day started out about
o'clock, unnccompaniod. as was gen
orally my choice. except by small
dog which belonged 10 the house.
and which had taken a great fancy
10 newly do not know. for an
] was not very fond OF dogs. he had
not been encouraged. although his
meek devotion had 20 a certain cx-
tent gained my goodwill His per-
,istcnce now won HIS cause. so by
my side he trottcd. hia brown eyes
shining with such ioyousnona that at
last. ashamed 10 do otherwise, | was
forced 20 make him welcome.
My uncomfortable experience later
on wns due primarily 20 the presence
OF Dandy. On the other hand, had
] taken warning from his instructive
nncnsiness, the probability is that
this story would never have been
written.
My destination was the swamp
land which lay IN certain section
OF the hummock. my object. the pho
togrnphing OF cyprcss-trecs just as
tbey grew out OF the black mud I'm
The darkness OF a region not unlike
tha, OF Tho Great Dlsmal Swami. -
The way | pursued was lonely
enough. bat | was not afraid. The
Few natives and negroes that parged
me IN ! walked lolsurciy along gave
me pleasant greeting. for all know
me and my camera.
| plunged into the forest. and
IDfIHI al.
marked trail, lodging several rattle
inakss Which Ikxeltsd my -lutl,laiou
and at about 4 o'clock founa ,,vyot,
on the border of aa dogolate a REGION
as the most ardent swamp.soel,o,
could wish. IL was n drearv stro,cb
of shadowy. ghost-llkc treos their
branches woven into an almost inn.
glc-llkc jmpcnctrabilitv nv n tancle
OF parasitic vines, many of which
were several inchos I'm diameter ana
which hung in fantastic contor,,o,.
from the tons. often of tho birh,-,
trees.
Tho ,.t.,, ~, -. ,,.,
,hro,,h a.. ,oo,,s, - ,''e
a,a ,a.,o', =" % ''"''s
hrou,, 49,, "'''s was
,ro,n ,,s n',.a '"" ',e 'oS'
,o.a,.,,,,, .,,' ~" "', ''Ns,' ,'"s
wa. ,,,.a, a'. ,' '"e '"""'p
.,,,,,,,s ~, e's s". ''''
s's. "' 'a' y"' VI n'' 'oo's,ep
-, sa,,sn ."'s 49,, w. /" '.'"''y
-, ~s,'' ~ ''v,''' "s W
Th. ~. ,,..,' .oo.'o'''
we're two lonely ho,rs ,o aonn,
originally raxorbaeks I'm, now on.
tlrelv wild Th,,, t,shs r,,,,a, ,n,.
castanets ms they stood Win oh,,,,r
,nr iaws M chall,nso. h,, ~ .lr u,s
ike hrayado chan.ea mt c,,.a.,,o.,
as they cspicd ms ana ,,r,,,r ava,
they disanncared 4, tho ,,p.;,
cont, tho n,aco for n whole au,,.
Of nllisn,o,s " s.t5 h.,,-a,,,,, -.
I pl,kcd my vay .lop, , p.~r,,,,' s,,,.,
OF land that Reached ,u, ,,1,, ,s'
water "uowover 8, a. no ,,,'. ,as
thint,nr ah,ut ,hat ,,. a., ~,.,. =.
r,t,,nr low ana ! ,,,,s, ,,a,-., 49,. :,
II so n,p,,,.a ,,o, o,, -, ,,,,.