118 



♦ KNO^VLEDGE ♦ 



[May 1, 1888, 



HUNTING ALLIGATORS.* 



HE Florida 'gator is a rare " bird " in its 

 way, and a very formidaljle one, too, at 

 times, but, like all celebrities, is sometimes 

 used as tbe basis for some stupendous 

 yarns. For instance, in a recent issue, a 

 Newark (N.J.) authority (?) gives the 

 modus operandi for catching and killing 

 thf saurian, when its skin is wanted. One method was to 

 get tbe 'gator amused at some side-splitting (New Jersey ?) 

 tiile, or else tickle him under the fifth rib, and when he 

 opened his huge mouth in an amused grin, to seize tbe 

 opportunity and thrust a big harpoon through his tongue. 

 The 'gator would then good-naturedly butt himself against 

 the bank until be felt the throes of final dissolution, when 

 be would float up against the wharf, give up the ('gator) ghost 

 and be in readiness to be skinned. Again, the spectacle of 

 " Alligator Piatt " riding on a 'gator's back, " geeing and 

 hawing," so as to make a good landing, would make even 

 the most ill-natured and fierce bull saurian that ever in- 

 fested these waters, split his sides with loud guflaws ! It 

 should have been added to this that he trained them and 

 drove them in pairs to plough his orange grove 1 



The 'gator is beset witli dangers from tbe first, which 

 probably accounts for his somewhat unfriendly disposition. 

 'The female finds some secluded sandbank exposed fully to 

 the sun's rays, scoops out a hole two or three feet deep with 

 her fore paws, lines it with old rubbish, grass, &c., and lays 

 a layer of eggs from 2.3 to 200 at a time. These are care- 

 fully covered over to a height of three to four feet with 

 grass, small sticks, &c. From the moment of laying tbe 

 eggs scores of enemies are in wait. The big sand cranes and 

 eagles are not averse to a good meal of 'gator's eggs, while 

 bears, wild cats, and foxes take them as a great delicacy. 

 Then comes the naturalist and curiosity hunter, and hundreds 

 of eggs are gathered by these insatiable seekers. The old 

 female is very fierce at this time, and lies in wait near by, 

 and has been known to attack men even in the defence of 

 her nest. Finally the young 'gators are hatched by the 

 sun's rays, and the mound seems alive with what looks like 

 young snakes. These young ones are smart and lively from 

 the first. The old bull 'gator, with an idea of the good 

 things of life, has been taking a sly intei'est in this incuba- 

 tion, and when the young ones got out he is on band to 

 take a good meal on infant alligator. 



Many fights have been witnessed between the female and 

 the nuxle, in the former's defence of her young. The young 

 ones, until they reach a length of a foot, are with the old 

 female all the tiuie. Their great delight is to lie basking on 

 the sunny sand bank, clustered in one big mass. Upon the 

 slightest alarm the old mother utters a hoarse call, opening 

 wide her capacious mouth, and the youngstei'S scramble in 

 for safety. 



Formerly they were plentiful on all tbe streams and lakes 

 in this State, but the iudisciiminate shooting has scared 

 them off into the more inaccessible bayous and lakes. In 

 tlie lower portion of the State, in the everglades, they are 

 hunted vigorously for their skius. Scores of hunters secure 

 from ],0tlO to 1,.')00 skins annually, and as they receive 

 f^l each for them, they obtain what is to them a princely 

 income. 



" Alligator Piatt," one of the oldest hunters in that 

 section of the State, lives on Lake Tohopekoliga, and his 

 .■•tories of miraculous escapes from 'gators and boars aie 

 tlioroughly enjoyed by the touri.sts who have the good 

 fortune to hear him narrate any of them. 



* Jacksonville (Fla.) correspondence St. Louis Glabe Democrat. 



The best and most common mode of hunting them is by 

 flashing their eyes at night, the same as deer stalking. Two 

 general!}' hunt together in a canoe, one sitting in the stern 

 paddling, the other standing at the bow, with a buU's-eyo 

 fastened to bis head. They move on cautiously, the one in 

 front coaching the course by slow motions of his hand. 

 Hist I a warning hand is upraise<l, the motion of the paddle 

 ceases, and the canoe glides on almost imperceptibly, the 

 slight ripple at the bow being the only sound heard. The 

 one with the rifle — a 44-calibre Winchester — slowly raises 

 bis weapon, peering expectantly forward, now to one side, 

 then another. Suddenly a gleam is seen ahead like a coal 

 of fire shining through the darkness, and the upraised rifle 

 belches forth a stream of fire. A confused threshing, and, 

 perhaps, a deep bellow follows ; then all is still. If wounded 

 the 'gator makes off to deep water, and if dead he sinks at 

 once. The hunters do not stop for their game, unless in 

 shallow water, and the 'gator is killed instantly, but go 

 ahead and search for fresh victims. The next day they 

 begin their look-out for their game. When killed the 

 saurians sink at once, but the gases in the body bring them 

 up in from six to ten hours. Hundreds are undoubtedly 

 lost by being wounded and dying in some inaccessible creek 

 or bayou, but the pot hunters care not. The skins are care- 

 fully taken off, and the carcases left for buzzards and other 

 scavengers, though the teeth are generally secured if there 

 is time. No portion is eaten, though some of the hunters 

 delight to thrill the incredulous tourists with tales of living 

 on alligator meat. 



Last Christmas a good joke was perpetrated at a leading 

 South Florida fashionable resort. It was a great head- 

 quarters for sportsmen, and game of all kinds was abundant 

 on the table. On Christmas day, on the menu cards of the 

 table where six jolly characters sat, was " venison " steak. 

 It seemed to please them all greatly, and was called for 

 repeatedly, and the cook was complimented for the fine 

 dish. After dinner, as they were picking their teeth com- 

 placently in tbe i-eading-room — [such is, alas, the savage 

 custom throughout the States. — K. P.] — the smiling host, a 

 great wag. who never suflered himself to interfere with a 

 good joke, called several of them into the olEce where a 

 dozen or more others wei'e gathered, and casually inquired 

 regarding the " venison." 



" It was remarkably fine," said a well-known Chicago 

 banker ; " so juicy and tender. Where was it killed ? " 



" Yes," interjected a New Yorker, a prominent yachts- 

 man, who also prided himself on his ability to hunt. "It 

 was prime. I shall have to try my luck at his kindred 

 to-morrow." 



'■ I certainly enjoyed it." remarked a Congressman from 

 Ohio, a weU-known epicure, too. " Y"ou know I always 

 said you ought to give us more of that sort." Othere 

 joined in to the same effect, when the host, with a twinkle 

 in his eye, said : 



'■Well, gentlemen, I am certainly glad you enjoyed that 

 alligator steak. We can now find a good use for those 

 fellows." 



A moment they stood spellbound by his words, and then, 

 as the full meaning burst upon them, their faces paled to 

 ashy whiteness and they left for their rooms precipitately, 

 whilst peals of laughter greeted the victims from those iu 

 the secret. For some time afterwards it was not safe to 

 mention " venison " to any of the partakers thereof. 



Generall}-, alligators are very timid, and they will seldom 

 attack a man unless wounded and driven to a corner. 

 Still, instances are narrated of old bull 'gators becoming 

 pugnacious and attacking boats. Dogs, pigs, and small 

 animals are seldom safe from their attacks, while cattle and 

 horses have been known to suffer fiom their assaults. The 



