Giant Fish of Florida 



A 'gator hunt is not bad fun on an off day, even though 

 the twelve-foot veterans are now few and far between. If 

 pursued on the shore, the alligator will almost certainly make 

 good its escape into the sea, though how it fares with the 

 ever-attendant sharks has not yet been determined. The first 

 requisite for an alligator hunt inland is to enlist the services of 

 a professional hunter, which your guide can easily do, though 

 the only obvious qualification of that official seems to lie in the 

 sanguine but unrealisable assurance that he gives, that every 

 submerged cave contains a quarry. The only equipment for 

 this " sport " is a strong gaff and a fourteen-foot sprit from the 

 boat. You then pick your way through tangled undergrowth, 

 disturbing many a mocassin snake that glides away on your 

 approach. 



At every likely puddle the professional one holds his nose 

 and emits a series of fearful grunts, with the object of 

 attracting the wayward reptile. As this expert trick usually 

 fails, the only plan is to make fast the gaff to the sprit, 

 and carefully probe every hole and cave, exploring crevices 

 in the dry earth that look no bigger than large rabbit earths. 

 At length, if success is to be yours, the gaff will be seized in 

 the jaws of the infuriated sleeper, which may [then be gaffed 

 anywhere near the head and hauled from his lair. On being 

 brought forth into the daylight, he opens his jaws to their full 

 extent and grunts loudly, but seems a harmless, torpid creature 

 enough, though it is prudent to keep clear of his tail, which 



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