AN ALLIGATOR ADVENTURE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2502, 6 September 1890, Page 7

AN ALLIGATOR ADVENTURE.

(boys’ OWN PAPER.) The m ght was deliciously cool and clear, as all summer nights in Florida are, and the doors and French windows of our bungalow were wido open to admit the slight air which was stirring aud bringing to us the fragrance of the orange-blossoms in the grove. Our house stood in the centre of an orange grove, which gently sloped towards a small but beautiful lake ; and this lake, sheltered by the grove and a belt of pine trees beyond, was always a refreshing sight through the long, hot summer days. Cool though the night was, somehow or other I was unable to sleep. I was lying under my mosquito-net, and consequently safe from the external irritation produced by those pests the mosquitoes, but I was bothered in my mind, and its colleague, my body, would therefore take no rest. The grove was a continual source of worry, and the difficulty of negro labour an unceasing nuisance. My “ coloured help” had left me that very evening, simply because I had remonstrated with him for ploughing so carelessly as to injure my beet orange trees. “ Waal,” he had said, “ if I can't suit, yer, I guess I’ll git.” And “ git ” ho did: and what ©n earth was Itodo in the morning ? I knew ef no reliable man in the neighbourhood whom I could get as a substitute; and the grove needed harrowing, and the bananas transplanting, and the young lemons budding, and any amount more had to be done, and the weather was too insufferably hot for me or any other Englishman with self-respect to do any work worth the name. Then the English mails had arrived, and there were no letters for me, and the week before my budget of newspapers hadn’t turned- up. And so, what with one thing aud another, I was feeling rather sick ©f the whole life, and getting a bit sentimental over “ the ©ld country,” when suddenly I heard heavy but rather stealthy steps on the piazza. “Is that you, Jack ?” I called out. Jack was my friend, and he and I were ‘ ‘ batching ” together—that is te say, we were endeavouring, in double harness, to practice the noble art of housekeeping. No answer, only more steps. “ Then it's the dog come back,” I thought. My dog was a Floridian, and consequently an utter brute—perfectly faithless to everything but his own stomach. After alternately sleeping on the piazza, and gorging food to bursting point all day long, he had a regular practice of going off in the evening to the neighbouring settlers and getting more grub on the strength of the multitude of bones which the Florida dog, in his base ingratitude, always exhibits. I whistled. Again no answer. No ;it was not the dog. Rather astonished, I jumped up, and,, in my flannel pyjamas, hurried across the large central room, which ye used as hall and sitting-room in one to Jack’s bedroom. I found him sleenimr a most unmistakable sleep ©f the just, with his mouth wide open ; but I soon shook him back to this world, and asked him to come and find out with me who our nocturnal visitor might be. He grumbled fearfully at first, but at last, taking his gun in his hand—l had a revolver n mine—he followed me.

When we reached the central room we paused and listened. The steps were clearly audible, and, without the shadow of a doubt, they were now in my bedroom. We huiried across and entered the room. At first nothing was visible, but in a few moments, by the dim moonlight which glimmered in under the broad piazza, we made out, horribly clear, an immense alligator, swinging and flapping his huge tail from side to side, and viciously snapping his cavernous jaws.

Jack, witnout a moment’s hesitation, let fly both barrels, but his sportsmanlike sense was evidently lost in that of self-preserva-tion. for he never brought his gun to the shoulder, but blazed away from his hips. Moreover, as the cartridges were only loaded with quail-shot, the effect on the alligator was nil —at least, as far as damage went. But it dearly annoyed him, as swish, bang, whop, went his tail, and down came my camp washing-stand to the ground. As it seemed evident he was making np his mind to go for ns, we beat an orderly retreat to the door. My revolver, in the dim light, was not likely to be of maeh use, and as my Winchester rifle stood in the corner behind our foe, Jack rushed back to his room for his. In the meanwhile the alligator moved in a strategic manner on my position. As I had not formulated any plan of campaign, I fairly made a bolt for it, and banged to_ the door.

Jack now returned, and we held council ef war. Our mode ©f attack was soon decided ©a. I got the stable lantern, lighted it, and fastened it t© the end of a long pole, and then we both crept softly.on to the piazza, round to the window of my bedroom. The idea was to hold the lighted lantern well into the room and right into ©ur visitor’* eyes, so as te temporarily blind him while Jack took a good aim. This, we flattered ourselves, was la guerre indeed,Jand a manoeuvre worthy of a Woleeley ! Well, to cut tne story sh-ort—the whole thing was over in a few minutes—l thrust my lantern several feet into the room, right over the alligator’s tail. Round he swung in a second. Up went his hideous head and wide gaped his jaws—just in frent of the lantern—a splendid shot. Bang ! bang ! went the rifle—aimed trne and steady for his mighty month. A rush—-swis-s-h, whop ! went his tail ! Crash ! went my lantern ; and w© —well, we went too ! He was bound to die, we knew; but why on earth did he make such a disturbance about it? And above all, why should he be so particular about dying in the open air ? Jack’s bullets, told, however, and before the alligator had got off the piazza be rolled ©vex* oitce, twice, and, with one last stroke of that terrible tail, expired. When wo measured him we found he was lift. dim. long, from the snout to the tip of the tail—a monster indeed. Of course, his visit oould easily be accounted for. In the cool of the night ho had left his usual hsbUa-t —the lake—and waddled up through the grove to the house ; and was, doubtless, as surprised as we were to find himself in such unwonted quarters.

I clearly recollect each incident of that night’s adventure, and the feelings of each successive moment, but it took place more than two years ago, and, as I write, my feet are now resting on the very handsome mat which I have had. made from the skin ©f our unbidden guest—that Florida alligator.