ALLIGATORS IN THE BARWON RIVER.

Auckland Star, Volume x, Issue 2781, 2 April 1879, Page 2

ALLIGATORS IN THE BARWON RIVER.

The "Cairns Advertiser," March 15 says :— " On Thursday, in the past week, two of Mr Lacey's horses wero crossing the Banvon River, and just as they had reached the Sinitkfield side, an alligator caught hold of, one of their). A struggle must have ensued between thfl saurian and the horse— which by-tho-bye is a valuable one—and the latter, it is supposed, must have fallen, as its belly Was entirely ripped, open,1 allowing the entrails to fall to tho ground. Mr Cameron, tho ferryman, saw tho horse run about forty yards, when it fell dead, j He gathered up the entrails, sprinkled it with poison, aud attached it to a strong rope, which he secured to his boat. On the following morning the rope was bitteu in two, and the bait bad disappeared. At thanext crossing of tlie same river soino cattle ivere recently crossing, when an alligator was observed close at baud siirveyjug the position. .A. few balk from a Knider rille, however induced it to make otr'. There cau be no doubt that the locality is a dan-: gerous one, and that alligators are more frequently met witli thuu before; owing to paucity of traffic upon the river. Wiieni boats were plying daily between Cairns and; Smithfield alligators iyere occasionally seen, but the continuance of the'injury dpiie to horses was a matter seldom hriard of; now, 'aud then a dog .was seized, but it is only: since the abandonment of Smithu'cld that; these monsters have become a tenor,1 ; :' <