ALLIGATOR-SHOOTING IX FLORIDA. 501 



must have wanted to commit suicide. The boat was rio\v 

 heavily loaded, and sitting astride of the largest, with a 

 smaller one on either side, I moved slowly homeward. I did 

 not notice the high-piled white clouds that tipped the dis- 

 tant pines until the threatening thunder shook the air, and 

 the softest of Florida -zephyrs, that caress your cheek as 

 gently as the hand of a babe, grew into a breeze, ruffled the 

 water, bent low the grass and rushes. Then it came stronger 

 and stronger, causing the great pines and palmettos to sing 

 their solemn song of complaint, until the heart of M other 

 Nature was full, her passion had reached its height, and 

 tears followed. They fell until everything was drenched; 

 and then, as quickly as it had come, the storm passed aw'ay, 

 across the low land beyond the lake, and disappeared over 

 the distant pines. The sun came out, and each glittering 

 drop did its best to acknowledge and reflect back his smile. 



The rain-drops had beaten the waves down, so that in a 

 few minutes the surface of the lake was as smooth as a mir- 

 ror. It was soon broken, however, behind me, by a rising 

 head and an arched tail. Both raised well out of water, when 

 from his mouth came the deep, sepulchral roar of an old bull 

 'Gator. Scarcely had its last vibrations died away, when, as 

 far as eye could see them, the lake became dotted with high- 

 raised heads and arched tails; while from every throat came 

 the deep roar that, swelling into a weird chorus, rolled 

 across the lake, over the flat shore, and into the pines, as if 

 following the rain. 



As to the cause of this ' Gator concert, I leave others to 

 guess. I can not explain it, but would suggest that all being 

 subjected to the same conditions of weather likely to cause 

 them to roar, the governing impulse of example of the 

 leader was sufficient to start the others just as a flock of 

 chickens, standing idly by the barn, may all stretch out 

 their necks, spread their wings, and run in play, simply 

 because one of their number started them by his example. 



Next, we concluded to try striking 'Gators by firelight, 

 and rigging a jack in the bow of the boat, stored away 

 a few arm fuls of fat pine. As darkness closed around us, we 



36 



