YACHTIXG ON THE ST. JOHNS. 163 



suggested. Jumping overboard was going from the 

 alligator frying-pan into a fire of sting rays, electric eels, 

 and moccasins. Shooting him was a pleasant and re 

 vengeful idea, but it meant blowing a hole in the bottom 

 of the boat. The old story of the natural histories 

 reminded me that it was the proper thing to jump on 

 his back and hold up his fore legs ; but I was at the 

 wrong end of him, and riding one without a saddle is 

 not a thing to do even with the spur of necessity. It 

 was rather close. The boat was not as long as we wished 

 it was, and we had exhausted our retreat, but, master 

 of the situation, he waddled on with an air of conquest 

 and extermination until July met him bravely and pun 

 ished him with the butt of an oar until he was again 

 stunned. We had lost confidence in killing him, and to 

 be safe tied him overboard and towed him to a landing, 

 where he recovered his fine disposition under a system of 

 annoyance from all the visitors, and finally gave evidence 

 of it by biting a man. When I heard this I said nothing 

 of his being my pet, and due justice was meted him. 



Injury from alligators is very uncommon, but they 

 are at times very fierce. A gentleman going to recover 

 a duck, shot on the upper St. Johns, saw an alligator seiz 

 ing it, and poured a charge of shot into his head, when 

 the injured and infuriated beast turned and bit a large 

 piece, gunwale and all, from the skiff. Their power is 

 very great, and when wounded they give evidence of it, 

 thrashing and crushing all about them. I shot one 

 through the head on Six Mile creek, and he leaped from 

 the ground until he looked as high as a horse. Heavy 

 and awkward as they seem, they are not to be approached 

 unguardedly, and although always ready to escape, if 

 prevented they are very vicious. 



