THE ALLIGATOR'S LIFE HISTORY 77 



the only sound made universally by alligators, or by imi- 

 tating the bark or cry of a dog. 



The first alligator hunters came to the vicinity of Avery 

 Island in 1883. At that time only skins of eight feet or 

 larger were taken, and the universal price was one dollar 

 per skin for anything from eight feet up. The method of 

 hunting them was for two hunters to go out during dark 

 nights in a small flat-bottomed boat; one man sitting in the 

 front facing forward, armed with a double barrel shotgun 

 loaded with number four shot, and wearing on his hat, what 

 was then known as a bull's eye lamp, burning lard oil, and 

 a man in the back who propelled the boat. In this manner 

 they proceeded along the bayous after dark. The light 

 from the bull's-eye would be reflected by the eyes of an al- 

 ligator which showed as red or yellow spots on the dark 

 water. The man in the rear would generally not see the 

 eyes, but the man in front would motion with his hand the 

 direction that the boat was to be propelled. The alligator 

 being blinded by the light could not see the boat, and a very 

 near approach could be made. When the boat was near 

 enough, usually not more than six or eight feet from the al- 

 ligator, the top of its head would be blown off with the con- 

 centrated load from the shotgun. The man who did the 

 shooting would at once put down his gun, take up a short 

 heavy pole to which was attached, on each side of one end, 

 a sharpened hook made of one-fourth inch iron, which he 

 would put under the alligator and draw it to the boat, or if 

 the alligator had sunk, he would feel along the bottom with 

 the pole until it was located, get one of the hooks under the 

 body, and with a quick jerk drive it into the skin, pulling 

 the alligator to the surface. When an alligator is shot 

 through the brain, it does not sink immediately but turns 

 belly up with its two front feet stuck straight up in the air. 

 It will stay in this position for several minutes, then gradu- 

 ally settle out of sight under the water. Having drawn the 

 alligator to the side of the boat, the man in the bow would 



