190 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUKTER. 



actually baked the earth around his body as firmly as 

 if he was imbedded in cement. It was a cruel and sin- 

 gular exhibition to see so much power and destructive- 

 ness so helpless. 



We amused ourselves in throwing various things 

 into his great cavernous mouth, which he would grind 

 up between his teeth. Seizing a large oak rail, we at- 

 tempted to run it down his throat, but it was impossi- 

 ble ; for he held it for a moment as firmly as if it had 

 been the bow of a ship, then with his jaws crushed and 

 ground it to fine splinters. 



The old fellow, however, had his revenge ; the dead 

 alligators were found more destructive than the living 

 ones, and the plantation for a season had to be aban- 

 doned. 



In shooting the alligator, the bullet must hit just in 

 front of the fore legs, where the skin is most vulnerable ; 

 it seldom penetrates in other parts of the body. 



Certainty of aim, therefore, tells in alligator shoot- 

 ing, as it does in every thing else connected with 

 sporting. 



Generally, the alligator, when wounded, retreats to 

 some obscure place ; but if wounded in a bayou ^ where 

 the banks are steep, and not affording any hiding-places, 

 he makes considerable amusement in his convolutions in 

 the water, and in his efi'orts to avoid the pain of his 

 smarting wounds. 



In shooting, the instant that you fire, the reptile 



