Show assey U t k I 1 K Q it 11 r 0 z 7 4 57 jk AU M p RIA I 1 M a ta rayj xa k 1 3 m y L ir I 1 KC i 7 9 alam sa I 1 it FIERCE BATTLE lb kiTLE WITH alligators N PANAMA kindreds or the tx reptile suta ty try party tt 1 arrs 96 attack ot t the CIVIs creatures tures ft save fiare their lt urea by bj D Of prate to I 1 one tropical day when a nerce sun was W beating down upon the picturesque city ot of panama two young men were lounging in wicker chairs under the spreading branches branched of a guava tree in the cool inviting patio of the hotel Inglat ingleterra inglaterra Ing laterra etra the young men were scions ot athe the british nobility named harry forces forbes and prank frank winters the commodious suits of the young men concealed splendid physiques phy hardened by y roaming dispositions which led them into all quarters of the globe in search of adventure and sport that could not be found within the confines of the tight little island they had cosne came to the isthmus simply tor for the purpose of assisting in the extermination of the alligators with which the rivers of that narrow neck of land teem between puffs at their indispensable pipes they laid out a general outline of the plans of an alligator hunt which they intended ed to follow on the succeeding day y they had secured the services of a aguf dozen stalwart peons geons inured to the threatening dangers of the swamps that line the rivers the peons geons were trustworthy fellows and could be depended upon in an emergency requiring nerve and quick wit they were to be useful in poling the cumbersome canoe up the rivers and branches in which capacity they cannot be excelled the next morning bright and early the young adventurers repaired to the cachina wharf where they found the canoe and the peons geons waiting the latter had carried down the necessary paraphernalia apher nalia for the hunt both men were armed with winchester repeaters of 45 caliber a gun un which is most effective in ending the existence of a grinning gator the sail was run up and the canoe canoe skimmed lightly over the whitecaps white caps to an island about three miles distant from panama the air was clear cool and sweets sweet and the exuberant vegetation of the coast on the left fairly sparkled with radiant brilliance and extended its luxuriance right to the edge of the blue and crystal water life on the island then the party crossed over to flamingo island which is small and fairly overrun with humming birds ig aanas and snakes the stop there was enlivened by a peon killing a large tree snake over thirteen feet in length having exhausted the beauties of flamingo the canoe set sail for another of the interminable islands that dot the dimpled surface of the bay A very different spectacle was now before them there was a hulk used as a lodging house bouse for the employed by the pacific mail company off the island was anchored her ma leotys steamship pelican by a prearranged plan ten of the officers and ensigns joined the original crowd the sailors had equipped the small launch of the cruiser that took in tow the lumbering canoe of the young englishmen the officers besides carrying tons were armed with revolvers these small weapons as it turned out were quite indispensable and certainly saved some of the party from a horrible death before arriving at the bar at the mouth of the rio sicto sucio a good twenty miles had to be covered which was done without noteworthy incident the river narrowed gradually its banks clothed with gorgeous tropical vegetation and lm indented dented by little back waters which seemed to be the abode of myriads of solemn and flamingoes fla the hunters heard the strange cries of bry brij ilant llant plumaged birds and passed close enough to see the humming birds darting like scintillating rays raya of light in the foliage an am occasional alligator could be seen basking in the mud of the banks when fired at the ungainly reptiles would plunge into the river with a tremendous splash and a few minutes later an ugly snout would protrude out of abe murky river and give a snort of defiance As the boats ascended the gators became more and I 1 more plentiful and some of them were twenty feet in length veritable monsters the river was now not more than thirty yards wide hundreds hundred of the hunters presently reached a kind of open pool with small streams and backwaters radiating in every cireo uon the air was heavy with the sickening heavy smell of musk which indicated the closer close proximity of the haunts of the saurian guided by the detections of a peon the boats turned upa up a mall jali creek and upon rounding founding a sharp bend the hunters were greeted with a wonderful spectacle A vast stretch of 0 i mud was wa s entirely audrel 7 covered with jl mass ass of basking allega amil there were vere hundreds ot of the re r 4 reit reptiles the place was uter J ally paved with scaly sau rians lans dig big and limes ac I 1 person could aate walked AU AH av I 1 aard without touching to the A iid I 1 in ili attempting to ket get closer bo aie berd both coats boats grounded the I 1 occupants were ire I 1 so S excited ed that the grounding was vua considered a conan aman rd ini men a stood nav 1 a A lagali i A humting lead into ino tile the alj iddie scene S em i e that 1 I 1 eyo ae u thet 1 dower of cowards to I 1 I 1 jap to this time at guterl i ot real az dds t the afe gm v jt I 1 y 11 of T in ete 11 I 1 11 afe da I 1 ird being baw L L M I 1 a ft iu dawned dd I 1 ac th f v em ua v e 7 ah bi ani I 1 I 1 I 1 I 1 1 I bih iAd so bedei to I 1 cl 11 1 1 lalk P 1 2 11 1 ac 15 17 11 t I 1 5 I 1 C i 4 I 1 I 1 11 pas each no loon er ee had haa every ritte rifle been discharged U than the whole hideous herd mode a dash tor for safety which was right over the boats it wim was a question of courage and promptness then death stared them in the face the barking guns poured a deadly hall hail of lead into the advancing sau lans rians to the horror of the hunters the brutes did not seem to care for the hot fire notwithstanding i that numbers of them were already dead on the river bank hundreds and hundreds of the repulsive creatures were crawling down upon the boats their long tails trailing in the mud as they advanced on the right handal hand aide de of the boats nine or ten ot of the largest gators lay in their death throes lashing the reeking mud with thel their r tails and hurling the stinking filth high into the air the monsters crawled over one another in their hurry to escape there was a wilderness ess of snapping jaws and catapult lc tails before the hunted hunters the revolvers came into active play and the spiteful barks of the weapons were vere mixed with the hoarse roars of the maddened brutes it was a perfect avalanche of alligators canoe I 1 upset at the critical moment an accident occurred which for the moment palsied the nerves and froze the very blood of the men whose eyes shone with the light of battle several of the brutes dived into the mire under the canoe which had the effect of heeling the little craft over the sudden movement threw winters who was standing in the bow into the mud with a tremendous splash the gators snapped at him from all sides but he was rescued only after a terrific and well directed fire had created a diversion in the unhappy mans favor presently the sa sau rians began to whip the mire with their tails there was a general tattoo and as a result of the tremendous blows it raised foul smelling green and black mud in a minute or two the boats were nearly half filled with blood and water and the mens clothes were covered with the loathsome mixture A peon was in a stooping posture slashing at the brutes with his machete when his arm was nearly broken by a blow from a swinging tall tail there were numerous accidents that heightened the excitement of the struggle the greater number of the reptiles had bad got past the crafts As a result of the unprecedented battle there were about dead reptiles it was a hunt that will never be forgotten by those who participated in it the boats started back for panama the next morning a night being spent on an the bank upon which they were aground the night was not one of res rest made so by the festive mosquitoes qui toes which arose in clouds from the adjacent swamps after an absence of thirty five hours the young m men en got back to panama surfeited with alligator hunting the clothes of each were torn and covered ered with the malodorous slime their eyes were swollen their noses twice their ordinary size owing to the attacks of the mosquitoes the sun had peeled off the skin and both were suffering from ague and fever through breathing the tainted atmosphere of the churned up mud but they endured all with stoical british fortitude and were happy in the enjoyment of a days good sport |