RECREA TION. 



149 



REPELLING BOARDERS. 



When fatally hit, some of the saurians 

 sink suddenly and hasten away, whilst 

 others heave spasmodically and turn 

 complete somersaults. 



Alligators have their individuality of 

 character as well as other animals, and 

 display it in their death struggles. When 

 a dead one sinks to the bottom, the steers- 

 man forces the pushing pole into the 

 mud and holds the boat in place with it 

 while the bowman searches for the car- 

 cass with the 'gator pole. On finding it 

 he fastens the hook into it by a dexter- 

 ous movement and hauls it aboard, alone, 

 if he can. but with the aid of his com- 

 panion, if need be. 



One of the men then slashes it across 

 the back, just in front of the hind legs, 

 with an axe or a hatchet, and almost 

 chops the head from the body with a 

 second blow, in order to prevent it from 

 floundering about in the boat and up- 

 setting it. 



The vitality of an alligator is really 

 extraordinary, and almost beyond the 

 belief of persons unacquainted with the 

 animal. The nerves live for several 

 hours after the head is cut off, and an 

 alligator seemingly dead often arises 

 and departs for healthier quarters with- 

 out leaving its card for a P. P. C. I 

 have known one supposed to be de- 

 funct for five hours and left blistering in 

 the sun, awake suddenly, gulp down 



some herons lying near its supposed 

 harmless mouth, and then charge two 

 of us in the most impudent manner. An 

 axe deftly used finally finished its career, 

 but we made sure of it by feeding its 

 heart and tail to our dogs. 



When the saurians are comparatively 

 abundant two good men may shoot from 

 ten to thirty in a night, but fifteen is 

 considered a good haul, except under 

 unusually favorable conditions. If two 

 hunters work on shares they divide the 

 profits and expenses between them, but 

 if not, the owner of the outfit gives the 

 other a third of the proceeds or §1.25 a 

 day. If employed by the day the man 

 must be ready to begin work at any 

 hour, supply the camp with fresh meat, 

 if necessarv, and, when not saurian 

 shooting, flay the animals, salt the 

 pelts, trap otters or bag plumed birds. 



He must, if required, go in search of 

 new hunting grounds, wade through 

 marshes up to his waist, traverse swamps 

 at all hours of the day and night, face 

 furious alligators with only an axe or a 

 hatchet, and live on alligator steaks, if 

 food be scarce. He fares no worse how- 

 ever, than his employer, for their mode 

 of life establishes a comradeship between 

 them that places both on a level. Dead 

 alligators are generally skinned under 

 the shade ot a spreading oak, hickory, 

 magnolia or other large tree, to keep 



