New-York tribune., 1909-04-18

what sort OF comfort Ilt eDu4'- 44-I'- 80 - '
Cochran said.
Vow. CAP. YOU stand back q bit and keep
Io,lr ewes open for some lively dolngs, because
when business begins things have got 70 De
done mighty quick OF somebody VIII get hurt
and guess it'll be me.
Prodding Out the Monster
WTILL approached with the spiked pole and
w the bunch OF rope. -Four or hvefeet TO the
rear Of the entrance to the subterranean abode
of the quarry the two men began showing the
pole into the oozv sol, turning 1t with a drlli-
ike motion and forcing II downward through
The matted roots OF the rceti cane Slowly the
stout rod sank until half ITS length OF ten ieet
was below the surface Of the marsh
We've got down through the roof OF ms
cellar" VIII finally exclaimed, painting with
exertion. and I can feel him! Take your
place. Iohn; for he's moving! No sooner
had Cochran taken position within leW i'- IGet
Of the opening than VIII Cr1ed, Look oat! Nt
gwen him the gaf and he's making his break.
There was no doubt Of II. treInor ran
through the epongy stuff under our ieet' lol-
lowed ly q morse resembling = fnuilled snort,
and the next moment the enormous head ana
shoulders Of the arauhilian lunged out OF the
hole, his huge claws gripping and tearing i Iile
ground n his efforts to escape Nhel Iile
alligater's body had cleared the aperture
Cochran darted at him with the swiitnesS ol
panther He threw himself squarely on
the scalv back of the ugly monster, whose
hideous head swung omInously from SIDE ["
side IN Il vain effort 10 reach and crush MS
aSsailant-
Ride him steady John, and don't let nm
throw You Of. and turn on YOU exclaimed
VIII as the maddcned alligator went Plungin8
and crashing INTO the reeds with cochran
sguarely s4stTlde Of flm and both HANDS clu'1h-
ing the neCl. OF hIs unCanny steed-
Once the pOndcrous Jaws opened WIDE hhu
vyer, closed with a qllic X and frightiul snap that
could have been heard some distance away
I, w:.s apparently such action that Cochran
had been waiting for, because the lhoHlCht
the fierce reptile halted to make the strike,
he released his hold on the neck and, selZlis
the fore legs IN a ViscliSe grip, wrenched thenl
with = mighty Jerk from under the wr1thlng
form. at the same using his knees and all ms
weight TO press the carcass close 10 the gIouiiu'
Making Him Captive
NOW you've got him, John, the way you
N want himi Hold him down hard!' yelled
VIII dashing forward with the rope; and TO
nv arnazernent and horror ne se1zed the amiga
tor by the suout and IN liiy had the terrible
LAWS one snap OF which meant the loss OF an
arm. or a leg, OF death, securely bound with d
double hitch The remaining portion OF tile ti
rope was used IN trussing together the iofe
md hind legs after which the bull OF the
Trocaloa was as harmless as a log, though ne
continued 10 blink at Us with his beady sha
vicious eyes As Cochran sat on the back OF
his helpless captive, resting himself ana mop,
ping face that glowed with PRIDE l, SUI,
20 remark that what he regarded as rare sport
was work Of a very dangerous character
Well, Cap he replied seriously. 1t would
i,efor people who didn't know how to go about
II but We had allgatOrs for neighbors an
my life I've caught hundreds; but tins OLD
feiler here and he patted the alligator almost
.ffectionatev Is the biggest and the strongest
| ever had a tussle with. 1t al IN keeping
your head and knowing how to tackle EN-
When you hop the back OF one the mann
thing TO do Is not TO let him turn on hls side
II be gets IN that position, he has chance not
only to swing his Jaws, but to fight with ms
legs and mp from tins old bulls claws would
tear a mans body open.
was convinced of the truth Of tins state
ment when ran my fingers over the long horny
claws and found that they were almost as SHARP
as dagger points
Some people " he continued, VIII tell yor
that an alligator uses his tail as ii club and one
z blow VIII kill man horse, but that Is .
story that ought 10 be told TO the mudhens
The only use he has for hls tail IS when ne ,,
2 IN the water because he swims with 1t
s 1t was well past midday when we returned tc
camp with the much sought bull Of the Iro
D oaloa stretched in the bottom OF the largest
! pirogue A footrule disclosed the fact that ne
was a fraction more than twelve feet sever
inches long; and MS weight was estimated to
= BE- not les than two hundred and fifty pounds