The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-29

lie out in the rivers down South, and
when anything approached they would
slide lazily into. the water and rest
on the bottom until they thought the
danger had passed. But in the last
few years, because OF the great
amount Of shooting at alllgators from
river steamers. these reptiles seem to
have changed their whole mode OF
life. Now they are found mostly in
the swamps and bayous back from the
main river.
There they are found in "'gator
holes" deep holes running some twelve
to fifteen feet deep in the sand and
filled with water which is usually mud
der than the surrounding water.
This muddy water. and the fact that
whatever vegetation there Is near by
has been trampled and mashed by the
giant reptile crawling about, is the
way their location Is discovered. They
lie day after day in these holes, with
Just their heads showing and very
little OF that, and when frogs leap
into the pool or birds and rabbits
come down to drink there is one snap
OF the Jaws, sounding like the clang-
ing of metal door, and the prey Is
caught
Easy IL YOu Know How.
Alnsators are dangerous to catch
when people don't know their habits
or how TO catch them, but 1t is com
paratively simple to the experienced
hunter. \ gator" hook IS used, an
iron hook fastened TO the end OF long
and strong pole. The hole is located,
and the hook and pole slid down into
the mud and sand. II the alligator Is
at home, he lets himself be. poked and
pummelled for about fifteen minutes.
then he bites at the pole. The tug as
he bites is the real signal the gator"
Is there. Then the man at the end OF
the pole works 1t about until it catches
in his scales or behind his foreleg-
the latter is the best place--and then
the alligator is drawn forth and
moose slipped over his head as soon as
it appears. With this he is held, and
another Moose is slipped over his jaws.
This is the ticklish part OF the pro-
ceedings, because an alligator is quick
despite his bulk. But while his Jaws
are very powerful in closing he cannot
open them against any considerable
pressure. In fact, the jaws OF the big
Sest alligator in the Bronx Zoo can
be held together with the thumbs and
forefngers.
Once the jaws are secured, a pole is
cut some feet longer than the body of
the alligator, and three nooses are put
around the body. 1t is then tied to the
pole, and two men can carry the
gator" out Of this swamp on their
shoulders. Still tied to the pole, the
gator" is pitched into a wagon and
taken back to camp, harmless as a
baby.
There was one occasion on this trip
when Mr.. Ditmars and Mr. Snyder
thought they had discovered the bur
rows of new species OF animal
They went Gown into the sand hum
mocks one day and discovered a num-
Der Of huge holes in the sand. No ami
NAL Of which they had knowledge built
such amazing burrows, and they were
very keen TO explore them. So they
hid as best they could behind hum
mocks OF sand and waited half a day.
but no strange animals appeared.
Then they asked one Of their darby
helpers what sort OF animals made the
holes.
"NigCers made them holes" no re-
piled, and told about II,
There is legend among the negroes
OF South Carolina that back in the old
pirate days Capt, Kidd and Capt Nor
gan and the others used 10 sail up the
Savannah River and bury their stolen
doubloons and pieces OF eight in the
sands OF the cypress swamps A month
or so before Mr.. Dltmars and his party
reached the Great swamp a fortuns
teller had come through and for a
consideration OF S25 each agreed 10 tell
the negroes Just where the gold was
buried, He collected several hurdred
dollars. and then with great deal Of
ceremony staked out as many loca-
tons in the sand as ne had customers
He then told them very solemnly IN
come to that spot In the light OF N.
moon, stand directly over the stalks
and dig at the end az their shadow
Then lie smiled away on a river
steamer.