A -GATOR* EPISODE. 



THOS. C. RICE. 



In 1855 several families, my own included, 

 left Savannah to escape a frightful epidemic 

 of Yellow Jack. We retired to Thunder- 

 bolt, 4 miles Southeast of the city. 



Game was abundant, turkeys, rice-birds 

 and ducks, fish in plenty, including an oc- 

 casional shark, oysters and clams for the 

 gathering, and crabs galore. 



One forenoon, while wife and I were crab- 

 bing from the platform of the bath-house, 

 the madam suddenly called my attention to 

 some object a short distance from the shore, 

 which I took to be a pine log, but which, as 

 it came nearer, moving against both wind 

 and tide, I concluded must be alive, so, I 

 desired her to run to the house for Prentice 

 and his gun — with a handful of bullets. 



The object had now revealed itself, its 

 hugh bulk floating in plain sight. The slow- 

 ly moving legs and the sweeping tail pro- 

 claiming his race. He swung round face to 

 face with me, and strove to wile me into the 

 water. 



Prentice was quickly at hand with his 

 gun, charged with 6 bullets. Bang ! and the 

 bullets bunched into that glittering eye. In- 

 stantly the sluggish monster was changed 

 into a whole circus, with the water churned 

 into foam around it. 



Near at hand sat an Indian fisherman in 

 his dug-out. Hearing the shot and the com- 

 motion, he understood the situation at once, 

 and swiftly paddled to our assistance, call- 

 ing to Prentice to bring a rope. 



On this the canoeist quickly rove a slip 

 noose and proceeded to lasso the 'gator. 



It was the most intrepid act I ever saw. 

 Paddling alongside the wounded saurian, 

 whose body was as big as that of a 1,000 



pound horse, and which lay sometimes on 

 its back and sometimes on its belly, the fish- 

 erman set to work to slip the wide noose 

 over the head and past the arms of the rep- 

 tile, so as to hold securely. 



To accomplish this he would spring upon 

 the upturned belly, and make a cast. Miss- 

 ing this he had to spring instantly back to 

 his boat, as the leviathan plunged and 

 turned. Several attempts were made ere 

 he succeeded. 



By this time a crowd had collected. With 

 plenty of help we pulled the game ashore. 

 He seemed dead, and an Irishman, against 

 the warnings of the bystanders, poked his 

 finger in the damaged eye. Quick as light- 

 ning the long tail swept round toward the 

 nose, the mouth yawned like a sepulchre, 

 and instantly closed, the ponderous armed 

 jaws coming together, crash! They were 

 big enough to have taken the Irishman in. 

 and could have cut him in 2. Luckily 

 agony and blindness rattled the reptile and 

 he swung his rudder to starboard, instead 

 of to port. Poor Paddy shrank pale and 

 trembling away. 



We experimented with the 'gator, learning 

 the significance of " crocodile tears," which 

 he seems to weep but never sheds. A trans- 

 parent film covers the eye which can be 

 drawn over it, or swept aside at will. When 

 swept aside it is gathered into the forward 

 corner, where its pearly gleam gives it the 

 look of a tear-drop. Outside of, and inde- 

 pendent of this, is the eyelid, which closes 

 over all. 



Our victim died the second night, aged, 

 and covered with honor — in scales — 1 1 feet 

 8 inches long, 5 feet 9 inches in girth. 



THE BEST VACATION. 



F. C. R. 



Speak not to me, when labor's done, 

 Of arts and books, and high degrees; 



Who goes afield with rod and gun, 

 Sees more of life than all of these. 



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