A STRANGE STORY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2560, 17 March 1905, Page 6

A STRANGE STORY.

—* — BEAR v. ALLIGATOR. T It was the month of June, the day had been scorching hot. I had

just staked my horse to a tree and was preparing to settle down for the night, when I was startled by a strange noise. Sometimes it was like the hiss of a snake, at others like the low growl of a tiger. As it seemed to coine from a small hill on the right, and not wishing to go to sleep with such unruly company in the vicinity, I thought I would have a look round and see what it was. With my rifle ready I crept up the hill prepared for anything that should dispute my right to camp below. The higher I went the louder the noise became. On the tip-top of excitement I reached the top of the hill, when to my astonished gaze appeared one of the strangest scenes man ever saw. There before me was a large black bear on his hindlegs, his shaggy breast covered with blood

I mixed with foain flowing from his mouth. Opposite to him, in battle array, its back curved upwards, head back, and jaws open, showing two rows of cruel teeth, was a large alligator sixteen feet long. The two were a few paces apart when I saw them each sizing the other over, looking for a weak spot in the other's guard. Bruin was the first to come to a decision. Suddenly; dropping on his four feet he rushed at the alligator, but was met with a blow from its tail that sent him ! head over heels. i Five times in succession he tried to get to close quarters, but was knocked over every time, the tail of the alligator meeting him half-way, with a blow that would have killed I an ordinary man. On rising the j sixth time, Bruin, though evidently ! battled and knocked about in the bar- i gain was not beaten by a long way. ! Keeping out of reach of his enemy's ! tail he betran to go round in a circle the alligator turning round 011 its forelegs like a pivot, always keeping its head towards the bear and its tail swinging ready in case the bear made a rush. For about five minutes this went on. then the bear suddenly rushed in again, round went the alligator's tail, but the bear had sprung round with a quickness that only those who have seen this clumsily built animal do it, could believe. The force of the blow on meeting with no resistance, threw the alligator oil i its legs ; and before it could recover, the bear gripped it round the body and swung it 011 its hack, and holding it down, seized one of its legs in its mouth. The alligator was now in a critical position. j Finding itself fast the alligator set up a scream of despair, writhing its tail in agony. Bruin would most certainly have won, but for an un- ; looked-for accident. In swinging its tail about the alligator happened to catch a tree which, with a convulsive shudder, sent them both rolling down the hill into the river at the bottom. The shock of the water must have made bruin loose his hold for a few minutes after he climbed up the bank and made off into the woods, the alligator escaping up the river. Thus ended one of the strangest fights 1 ever saw. |