THE YOUNG FOLKS.

Bush Advocate, Volume VII, Issue 475, 30 May 1891, Page 7

THE YOUNG FOLKS.

CEOCODIT/tf SHOOTING. It is not generally known that Florida is th< homo of the genuine crocodile as well as of th< alligator, and ttat both are close neighbours ir the extreme southern portion, from SharJ River to the lowest limits of the Evenglades The Florida crocodile is known as the Cubar species, and while not So large and fierce as itcongener of th" Nile, it is no v osDicable foei_ a contest A crocodile'! differs from an alligator ir having a longer and narrower head, a more pointed snout, fewer toeth, a less plethoric body, aud having two holes in the snout through wnich two teeth of the lower jaw protrudo when the mouth is closed. A glance at the snout will therefore onable a novice to judge whether the saurian he sees on a bea<"h is the familiar 'gator or tho dreaded "croakdil" of the cracker and negro. The crocodile is much more maritime in character than ita congener, being rarely found iv fresh water and seldom far from the seashore. It is a bold swimmer, and thinks nothing of making a voyage to Cuba in the stormiest weather. It feeds mainly on fish, and having better teeth than tho alligator, is not compelled to follow [the latter's device of burying its food until it becomes putrid before being able to devour it. Having greater courage ana oeing far more active than its congener, it is considered a much more dangerous adversary by all who know its habits, and is therefore carefully avoided by those not badly in want of one. It lays its eggß on the Florida coast, and when the young appear the mother will fight any living thing that threatens their existence. Motherly affection is as strong in a crocodile as in a grizzly bear, and no punishment can induce either to retreat whilst protecting their offspring. This trait in the saurian gave a party of us who were hunting and lishing along the Shark River not long ago ajlesson we hall not soon forget. „. _ *-**?.$ kZY£ a i.iv_ly|encounteb. "VZzYYZ Four of us were cruising in a three-t6n sloop, and while coasting close along shore early ono morning we espied a crocodile apparently asleep on the beach. To capture it became almost a passion with ua immediately, but how to do it was the problem, as we wanted ifc alive. After a brief debate we decided to run the vessel as close to shore as possible, enter tho small boat and attack the reptile with harpoons. We drew near the beach before tho saurian espied us, but ore we could land it dashed for the water at its best pace, after uttering a gruff cry of warning or defiance. Fearing it might escape, two of us jumped into the mite of a dingey we towea behind, and pulled ashore for dear life. We reached it just as the reptile plunged into the sea without raising even a ripple. " Come," my companion exclaimed in a tone of the utmost despair. " Not all," I replied, pointing to a struggling mass, of young reptiles which were crawling aud tumbling over the beach. "Let us capture some of them," I observed, as I ran towards one about 18in. in length. "But they'll bite," he answered. " Seize them back of the head," T shouted, as I grabbed my prisoner around the neck, despite its hissing and threatening aspect, and shoved it into the capacious pocket of my shoocing jacket. He made a timid attack on another, but instead of grasping it promptly, he was content fco make feints and to pull back his hand promptly whenever the creature hissed. This assault caused all the others to begin hissing and ejecting their musky breath in jets of anger. I had grabbed the second youngster, and was about to return to the boat when I saw the mother emerge from the Bea and hasten towards my timid friend. Her body was swollen with anger ; her little pin-head eyes were fairly ablaze with fury ; and her head extended straight forward, much like that ot a greyhound when in pursuit of a hare. " Look out, Tom, or the mother will catch j you," I exclaimed. I He faced about, saw the ferocious brute, and, without saying a word, ran at a go-as-you-please gait for the dingey, which was only a few yards away. He tumbled rather than got into that craft, and was about to push off when I shouted that I wanted to enter also and get a harpoon. He reluctantly stopped, but tbe moment I stepped in he pushed away from the Bhore with frenzied vigour. We had not got ten paces, however, ere we FELT A VIOLENT SHOOK Which throw both of us fiat on our backs, knocked the pole out of Tom's hands and sent the rifles, which were lying on the stern sheets, overboard. Before we could get on our feet we heard the crunching of tho bow, and a moment later, saw tho head of the crocodile peering above the port gunwale. " We're gone, sure," my timid friend exclaimed. " Not yet," I Bhouted, as I took a hurried aim with my revolver at the head of the reptile, whose weight sunk tho bow almost to the water's edge, and sent a 38- calibre bullet into its head just above the right eyo. This seemed to render it more furious, if that was possible, for it made another effort to board us. It m'anoged to get more of its ugly, scaly body over the gunwale, aud would, undoubtedly, have come aboard had I not emptied the contents of my revolver into its head. I did not do much damage, but I checked the advance temporarily, which was all I expected to accomplish. The reptile sank for a moment or two, then emerged to renow the assault, but before it could get its forelegs on the gunwhalo the sloop drew alongside us and we clambered abound as nimbly as monkeys. The moment wo touched the deck, our best harpooner launched his weapon at the furious saurian and struck it in the neck. This caused it to swim seaward for a minute or more, but,becoming weary of its load, it turned suddenly and attacked the sloop. It actually bit a piece out of tho solid wood and gave the sides a whack with its tail that caused every timber to tremble. On rising to bite the bow tho second time, wo planted another harpoon in its shoulder with such a force as to send the barbs to the bone. This induced it to hasten seaward once more at a pace one would hardly deem creditable. It towed us for four miles at least, then hastened to tho bank of a small mangrove island, where ifc landed. The moment it touched the beach we tied its muzzle with ropes, hoisted it aboard, and carried it in triumph to Charlotte Harbour, where it was sold to somebody who wished to place it on exhibition. Whilst discussing ita assault on the dingey, soon after its capture, our veteran nailor exclaimed: " Why, dum it, I rock'n you'd fight mighty hard, too, ef you knew somebody had your youngsters in his pocket and was kidnapping 'em." That fact partially accounted for the fury of the animal, but I subsequently learned that our experience was by no means unusual. Our captive was lift. 1 ?, and estimated to weigh I,soolb.— Detroit Free Fress.