FIGHT WITH ALLIGATORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18725, 1 December 1922, Page 8

FIGHT WITH ALLIGATORS

AUSTRALIAN'S TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. " (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 23. There has just, arrived in Sydney the victim of a recent terrible fight with an alligator—a duel in a river of the Northern Territory, from which .the man, though badly mutilated, emerged the victor. The hero of the episode and his brother went down to the Adelaide River, about 12 miles from their farmhouse,* in search of horses. This is the story as he told it:— "While I was waiting for my brother 1 started fishing. No sooner had I dropped my line than a big fish broke it. As I had not another line, I strolled down the river bank to see a place where the horses could-be got, across. It was near a small waterhole. I was about four feet from it when I sensed danger. I looked up just in time to see an alligator with its mouth open. Before I could move it had grabbed me by the knee and dragged me unaer the water as easily as a cat would pull down a raf. It banged me on the side and shook its head, i came to the surface, and immediately jammed the fingers of my right hand in "its left eye. It let go my knee and grabbed my wrist. "As the alligator started to pull me back again I jammed my left thumb into its right eye, and it let mo go again. Although the water was then over my waist. I managed, to struggle out tfnd got behind an old stump, wearing a great splash, I looked round, and there was the water being sent flying into the air, and the reptile biting great chunks out of the atmosphere. Apparently it was blinded, as it did not move away from -"O one spot. I managed to struggle up" to the top of the bank, and cooeed for my brother, who had just returned. He took me to the camp, about 100 yards away, and bandaged my wounds, which were bleeding freely." , . Four times the' injured man fainted before he could be got on a horse, and then came a. painful ride of eight miles through long grass and "devil-devil" country. At last he fell from the animal and lay exhausted until his brother returned with a, dray. ' ... ~ Eventually the 77 miles' journey to Darwin by dray, train, and motor was completed, and the patient was put to bed in ■Hospital, where he lay unconscious for six davs. From May till November he was there, and now ho • has come to Slydney, hoping to obtain the best treatment, so as to regain the proper use of his injured