ALLIGATOR KILLING. 191 



disappears, and you are for a few moments unable to 

 learn the extent of injury you have inflicted. 



An excellent shot, who sent the load with almost 

 unerring certainty through the eye, made one at a huge 

 alligator, and, as usual, he disajipeared, but almost in- 

 stantly rose again, spouting water from his nose, not 

 unlike a whale. A second ball, shot iu his tail, sent 

 him down again, but he instantly rose and spouted : 

 this singular conduct prompted a bit of provocation, in 

 the way of a plentiful sprinkling of bits of wood, rattled 

 against his hide. The alligator lashed himself into a 

 fury ; the blood started from his mouth ; he beat the 

 water with his tail until he covered himself with spray, 

 but never sunk without instantly rising again. 



In the course of the day he died and floated ashore ; 

 and, on examination, it was found that the little valve 

 with which nature has provided the reptile, to close over 

 its nostrils when under water, had been cut off by the 

 first shot, and he was thus compelled to stay on the top 

 of the water to keep from being drowned. 



We have heard of many since who have tried thus to 

 wound them, and although they have been hit in the 

 nose, yet they have been so crippled as to sink and die. 



The alligator, when inhabiting places near planta- 

 tions, is particularly destructive on pigs and dogs, and 

 if you wish to shoot them, you can never fail to <lraw 

 them on the surface of the water, if you will make a dog 

 yoU, or a pig squeal ; and that too, iu places where you 



