The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-02
NO. 16i

miles above Dunnellon, and were
forced 10 abandon our boat and
forced 20 carry our stuff on foot thru
/ the jungle to Dunnellon, where the
fish were put on ice and that even
ing distributed to our Ocala friends
But now about this prize fish, 1
know we'll enough that lots OF big
fish lead in tamely and come TO the
gaf like chunk Of pork, but this
one was sure 'nuf sport. l was
fishing with Judge Will Hooker. of
! Ocala, and our boatman was Jake
I Hudwell, one Of the best men with
a boat | know Of, and great hunter.
Mr.. Hooker has a canvas boat, and
when in action he continually has an
| insane fear that | will catch a big
fish, get excited and tip his boat
over He little knows how careful l
am and hold this fear on general
principles.
We loaded my little car up with
boats, oars, ice, frying pan, lard. and
about two hundred other things and
drove out to some small lakes % or
80 miles away and covered two or
three lakes with Indifferent success.
We caught plenty OF small bass of
one or two pounds but no large ones.
Mr. Hooker was continually talking
about a lake somewhere that was
full of whoppers, but inasmuch as
he is a lawyer. | paid very little at
tention to what l considered merely
semi-professional yarns, possibly, in
a way, excusable in lawyer.
4 say let's cut this out and get
over to Little Prairie Lake. | want
YOU to get winner today suggest
ed Mr.. Hooker.
We were fishing then in small
bayou of rambling shallow lake,
and as | was about to dissent, Jake
| yelled, ''Ketch that little gator:
There lay, only few yards away,
tiny gator about eight inches long.
| Turning | threw for him, landing
, few inches beyond and giving
, quick jerk, snagged him.
: The little rascal came in making
piteous croaking and was deposited
ir the boat and he continued to grunt
complaining "'Eoumph. Eoumph.''
t Directly We noticed slight ripple
!, not far of and Jake yelled, Look
: out for the old LADY," And sure
i, enough. there lay a fourteen-foot
/ gator looking our way.
0 She lay inactive moment, gazing
y at Us in our innocence and purity,
e but on hearing the plaintive calls of
: her offspring she moved slowly to-
+! ward us.
0 Git out, you old hell hound,
b shouted Jake, but the ancient sau-
e rian wouldn't git" She swan slow
n y until within about twenty feet of
r the boat and dived. We felt the frail
o canvas boat oscillate as her huge
e bulk heaved the water underneath
t rs.
o Back water cried Mr. Hooker,
e being in the stern.
u Pull ahead | yelled, inasmucn
IS | was in front and nearest shore
n The old she-'gator came up near
: by and eyed us viciously, but Mr.
h Hooker, with the marvellous instinct
of a lawyer, snatched his notebooks
and made out bill for s6S.34 fol
saving her child from drowning, up.
on seeing which she sank, and
think, died, We decided at once to
go away from there.
We had left our auto at Jake's and
loaded our plunder into his one
horse wagon, and into this we now
piled our stuff 1t was the middle
of the day and hot, fearfully hot,
told the boys they were welcome te
- al the hOnors due On their blooming
n lake, wherever it was and rolled inte
III the back end O. the wagon to sleep
IL Fer bedding | had two oars. a boz
le Of ice and bag Of wet fish, and thu
d slept comfortably for days, it seem
4 ed TO me-. / have no idea which wa.
u we went nor how far. but was awak
ie aned by the sound OF Jake's rifle a
u he took a shot at big gator out il
re the lake. and the boys said he had
= got there"
l. The sun was low and the air wa
cool and my interest came back. S
ee Concluded on Page Two)