Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-09
TRAPPING ALLIGATORS.
Dogs Of Assorted Sizes Used as Bait
In Spanish Honduras,

Dogs of Assorted Sizes Used as Bait
In Spanish Honduras.
Have any Of you gentlemen ever
been alligator hunting in the tropics?"
a returned traveller from Central
America asked a group Of frien's 8. Il
tried it in Spanish Honduras, and it's
great sport.
THE only things that were taken
along besides some refreshments and
a single lone six-shooter were four OF
the commonest looking dogs I have
ever laid eyes on. The party Of US
rode two or three leagues through the
jungle to a small lagoon, which was
filled with alligators and very large
snakes.
"A native had charge Of the dogs.
After we had taken good positions In
two large trees he took a dog, the
largest of the pack, and led him down
to the waters edge. The native climb
ed up a tree about 200 feet further up
the line from US, while the dog, who
was trained for the work, began bark
ing as If his life depended on the
amount Of yelping he could do.
LOOK, look!' said my friend, who
was in the tree with me, at the same
time pointing over to the place where
the dog was carrying off his little
dance alongside the lagoon.
Il looked over and saw an immense
alligator slowly sneaking through the
water in the direction Of the cur. The
dog saw the saurian coming all the
time, but pretended not to. The alli-
gator kept getting closer and closer
until his feet touched the bottom and
then he made dash for the dog.
1.-The dog let him get within five feet
Of him and made dash along path
cleared for the purpose. Alligators
can run on the ground like race horses,
but when they are after dogs they go
just twice as fast. That particular
gator gave the dog more than he
could take care of, and If 1t had not
been for the short distance the race
lasted the dog would have been
caught.
"A large hole had been dug and COW
cred over with brush to conceal the
trap. 1t was fixed so that wien the
alligator got on top Of the brush II
would give way and Mr.. Alligator fall
into the hole, while the dog, by max
ing broad leap, would clear the trap
and get over on the other side.
1.-The first alligator we caught was
about twelve feet long. The native fix
ed the trap again and made ready fol
the next stunt. The gentleman ir
charge of the expedition said he want
ed small alligator for pet around
his camp, and a small dog was select
ed to bring about the desired result.
After We had again taken our posi-
tions in the trees noticed an alligator
about four feet long coming nosing
his way through the water in the d.
rection of that little cur, who was
barking and chasing himself up and
down over the ground. In couple OF
seconds the little dog and the little al
ligator were running through the bush
toward the trap, which fell in when
the four -footer touched 1t.
IF any one had told me that a big
alligator would run after big dog
and small alligator preferred small
dog, would have considered 1t a friv-
olous tale, but I saw exactly that
thing with my own eyes. Just to dem
onstrate this another large dog was
put through the same ceremony. Two
or three small gators were near his
stand, but not one of them made a
break for him. Pretty soon big fell
low padded over toward the dog and
made break for him. He, too, fell
into the trap.
"As a fitting climax for our days
hunting it was decided to double up
on the alligators, so we had the native
fetch all four dogs to the edge Of the
lagoon. The four dogs stood up like
horses waiting for the barrier to fly,
slyly looking over their hinderquarters
to watch the approach Of the enemy.
Presently four alligators, two large
and two small, crept out Of the water
and bolted for the dogs. The largest
dogs were trailed by the largest alli-
ligators running behind them, all max
ing a bolt for the brush covered pit.
The first saurian was within q foot
Of the last dog when the trap was
reached. OF course, the dogs escaped,
but the alligators went crashing
through the brush"