Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1882 — ALLIGATORS [ARTICLE]

ALLIGATORS

Some Stories About the Reptiles. [From the 8u Louis Globe- Democrat. 7 Mr. Will Smith, who was for a long period keeper at the jetties when they were in course of construction, tells some-curious stories a about alligators, which were very numerous there and through the marshes. The men became so accustomed to them that they would hardly turn aside to avoid the largest, and on Sunday it was quite a common amusement to shoet them, sometimes half a dozen or a dozen being secured in an afternoon. It is a mistake to suppose that a rifle ball will not penetrate an alligator’s hide, as one from a Winchester striking it in the head, the toughest part, will generally take the whole top of the skull off. Northern people visiting the jetties were anxious to see alligators, and one immense fellow, apparently seventeen feet in length, was encouraged to stay in the river in the vicinity, and was known as Col. Andrews’ pet. The Colonel was quite incensed at one time by the fact that one of the men fired at his favorite with a revolver, and by discovering on another occason that Walker, who is said to have hooked a whale, had made preparations to capture the alligator by meai/s of a rope, a huge shark hook and twelve pounds of beef. Although the bait was shoved invitingly under the reptile's nose as he lay on the bank in the sun, he was too shrewd or not hungry enough to be tempted. “The pet” remained about a year or two, and may still be there. One evening as somh men were unloading a barge of rock a huge alligator arose out of the water alongside, and one of the men pitched a fifteen-pound stone at it, which, from a height of twelve or fourteen feet, landed directly on its head. The- head must have been smashed, hard as it was, for the saurian, after turning half a dozen somersets and going through a number of antics, sunk slowly, and seemed dead. Mr. Smith was coming down the river one Sunday in a perogup with another man, a late arrival, when they saw an enormous alligator asleep on the bank Smith proposed having some fun with him, and, without disturbing his slumbers, pulled up alongside, and, crowding the boat ashore, stood up in it and began a vigorous attack on the sleepez with paddles. Contrary to their expectations, the sluggard started toward them in his hurry to reach the water, and, crawling over the boat, upset them in the mud knee deep and filled the boat with, filth and water. Their clothes were ruined, and they were pretty thoroughly disgusted on asceiv taming that the alligator had lost an eye. They had attacked him from the blind side, and he had rolled over them before he found where the trouble started. There are numerous individuals in the South who make a living by killing and catching alligators. The hide of a large one is worth from $1 to $2; but it is very hard work to take it off, and is almost a day’s task. From the flesh a very strong and quite valuable oil ismade, which is used for many purposes, but principally as a remedy for rheumatism. It has, however, a most unpleasant smell unless properly treated. Many fishermen have been known to eat portions of the meat, that of the tail being said, when cooked, to have much the appearance of veal and taste something like pork. Quite a lucrative business is that of capturing alligators alive to send away for exhibition. Col. Williams, when Spanish Fort was made a summer resort, made a contract with a fisherman to fill the hole known as the alligator pond for him, and in the course of a couple of weeks he had it stocked with thirty or forty, r inging in length from six inches to seven or eight feet. The man who caught them showed no fear in handling the huge reptiles, and for $5 offered to gdt into the hole and throw the largest one out over the paling by which it was surrounded. They are said to exhibit wonderful alacrity in “going for” a colored person, and dogs are their favorite diet, while they will, as a general thing, endeavor to avoid a white man. The man who supplied the pond and his companion have been known to bring into camp in a small skiff an aligator sixteen feet long and furious with rage. The manner of accomplishing this feat was, as he explained, quite simple. The old are savage and will fight for # their young, and this fact is taken advantage of. Borne of the young are caught out of the spot in which the old one is lying, and a stout-noosed rope is then placed where to emerge she must tnrust her head through it. When all is ready the young are allowed to cry out, and the old lady thrusts out her head to have her neck caught in the noose. .She is dragged around in the water until prettv well ohoked. when another noose is secured on her tail, and she is firmly strapped, stomaoh downward, on a wide board, which she cannot break, as her powerful muscles in the tail act only in a lateral direction. Her head is then fastened to the boat, the noose about her neck is removed, ana shq is towed away after her young have been placed in the skiff. Young ones are bought by dealers for from $2 to $4 a dozen, if not over a foot in length. When they sell them they get a much higher price, as they are hard to preserve alive. The large ones are sold differently, there being an increase in price of 50 cents to $1 for every additional foot over a certain length. Alligators sixteen or eighteen inches long are frequently found by the dozens in shallow water, and oan be handled without trouble providing the old one, who is generally near, does not take the alarm. Most alligator fishers are usually turtle hunters also, and searoh along the shores of bayous and lagQpps for the holes of the oni-

mats. \v nep the hole is discovered it is. explored with a long pole with a by; hook set in the end, and if the unfortunate resident is at home hois promptly dragged out in spite of his s rugglcs and quickly appears in market. The eye of a young alligator, when closely examined in a strong light, is a queer and rather pretty sight, having all the fire and much "the appearance of an opal of a similar size.