Evening star., 1909-04-18

early Spanish settlers to the morass lying
to the south of Lake Pontchartrain which, like
a huge grassy tongue, separates its waters
from those of Lake Catharine and Lake Borgne.
Swept as it is each year by the storm tides of
the Mexican Gulf it is to this time as wild and
bleak in its aspect as it was the day Bienville
first raised the colors of France on louisiana
soil Covering an area of nearly thirty square
miles, and threaded and dotted by numerous
shallow bayous and lagoons, it has for centuries
been the habitat of the alligator, the wildcat,
the otter, the mink, the muskrat, and the
racoon, not to mention every breed of snake
and mosquito known to the subtropics
Yet, uninviting the region appears, it IS
a paradise for the sportsman and made so by
the fact that during the winter season it becomes
the feeding ground for countless numbers of
wild ducks and geese that journey down from
the Dakotas and the country farther north.
In the heart of this great marsh our hunting
camp was located, and / had returned to it
after mornings shoot in the lagoons and
sat down with eager appetite to a bountiful
breakfast when John Cochran, my guide.
typical child of the marsh, came bounding in.
cap" he yelled, will has been up in the
Bayou des Barbes and found where the bull of
the Trocaloa holds out, and we are going to get
the rusty old cuss in a corner and bring him
into camp! So, if you put on your wading pants
and come along with us you'll see some sport
that'H make your blood jump like rabbit. !"
His manner convinced me that something
had happened of more than ordinary interest
to the dozen or more hunters and fishermen who
constituted the population Of the little settle
ment; but assuming an air of Indifference,
remarked that the idea of bull being able to
exist in place where jacksnipe would get
begged was entirely ridiculous, and he might
try his story on somebody else more gullible.
He smiled compassionately as he said:
A Different Kind of Bull
THE bull I'm talking about is bull alliga-
tor. known to us marsh people as the bull of
the Trocaloa, because he is the biggest one that
has been seen for more than ten years. While
in the duck blind this morning, Will heard him
below for his mate. and, taking the pirogue,
sneaked up, found his hole, and scared the old
devil so badly that he tumbled back into it.
You can bet that he won't show his head out of
the window until night comes and he thinks the
coast is clear; SO when we call on him to-day
we'll be sure to find him at home. It's been
my ambition for a long time to have a tussle
with that old bully, and if you come along you
will see what call real, first class fun
l had never enjoyed the excitement of
alligator hunt, and when Cochran told me that
the reptile was not only vicious old customer,
but measured not less than twelve feet, l
readily accepted his invitation to be one of the
hunting party, at the same time offering him
the use of my As rifle as weapon well calcu-
lated quickly to put the bull of the Trocaloa out
of commission.
y
tested in a tone indicating the disgust with
which he regarded such an unsportsmanlke
suggestion, "Why, anybody can do that
What want to do is to fight him fist and
skull wear him out, tie him, and bring him
into camp alive because it is in the fight that
we have the sport. There's not bit of fun in
shooting him: that's baby work"
What he said interested me very much; but
/ asserted that had no stomach for a bare
handed contest with such a robust member of
the lizard family, and if any fighting was to
be done he would be allowed to monopolize it.
You needn't to worry about that, Cap, I"
he replied "Wil and me will attend to that
part of the business All you've got to do is
to stand by and watch the scrap"
Starting for the Lair
THIS arrangement was more agreeable, and
we set about making the necessary prepara-
tions for the capture of the big amphibian.
Two pirogues were placed in tow of a launch
into which had been thrown long cypress pole,
in one end of which was fitted sharp steel
spike. and a small coil of rope, such as is used
for sash cord. Everything in readiness for the
contest, we were off for the lair of our game
The launch carried us swiftly to point
where the Bayou des Barbes received the
sluggish water of small slough having its
source in the marsh mile or two away.
Here the launch was anchored, and, taking to
the pirogues, we proceeded up the slough till
we reached a spot where the high reeds had
been beaten down by the movements of a
heavy body, leaving an open space of nearly