HOW TO CATCH AN ALLIGATOR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 37, 14 February 1894, Page 4

HOW TO CATCH AN ALLIGATOR.

■ ■ ■ „_____ Q ___^_ " Ouo duy wo lay at anchor on the town, i witnessed ouo of tho most iut'cuious ways o( killing au alligator tlmt could bo iuiu»inod. One of those huge erc.itnriM was discovered hacking on n !)>p!< in this liver, a shoi t distaneo ahead of our vohkcU. 110 was o' si'ivocl by two naiiv. s, in u cunoo, who iinincdifUoiy paddled to the op\ oaito side of the Imnk, and having lunclel, cropt cautiously toward* him. As sooa as thoy were nour the animal, one of the natives stood up from his ciouchiug position, holding a spiar about t\x feet loui?, which «iik ouo blow he etiuck thiough the auim.l's tuil into tho eaud A most strenuous coutot-t immediately entue 1 ; fcho mini with tho spear holding it on the sand as firmly as ho could and his strength would allow | him, and clinuing to it as it became ii( ceFFary to Bliifs his position with (ho agility of a monkoy, whilo his companion ran iu as op; oi tunity offered, and with much dextenty gave tho animal a thrust with his long knife, retreating :.t tho same moment from within roach of its capacious jaws, as it whirled round upon the extraordinary pivot of the impalemont by the epoar which his compauiou had so successfully accomplished. Tho battle lasted about haif-au.hour, terrainatiug in tho slaughter of the alligator and tho triumph of his coLquerojF, who were not long in cutting him into piecee, i>nd loading tho canoes with his flesh, which they immediately cunicd to tho shore, and retailed to their couutrymeu. It is evident that the succeEs of this plan depended on tho uorve and dexterity of the man who pinned tho animal's tail to the ground ; aud his contortions aud strug. g!cs to keep his portion were highly lidiculoiiß aud enkrtaiuing. 1 ' — From "Laird's Narratives,' 1