HOW DR. HASBRUCK CAPTURED AN ALLIGATOR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 490, 10 August 1912, Page 7

HOW DR. HASBRUCK CAPTURED AN ALLIGATOR.

Dr. E. M. Hasbruck,, in the "Wide florid Magazine," tells of the novel method by which he captured a tenfoot alligator.. He writes : Since the brute's taste for flesh was so strong, he should have his fill of it, and something else besides. Search in the barn brought to light an extra-heavy shark hook, a relic of my seafaring days. With this, well sharpened up, and a strong manila rope I was ready for business. Wait j ing a few days until the 'gator should again be hungry, I too'.: a mongrel dog, fastened the hoo'.c to his collar, atfd with the rope securely attached made my first ca:t iato the lake. The little animal -yelped, kicked up considerable fuss with tha added weight, but finally paddled h's way to shore. With periods for rest this was repeated again and aga'n at different points, until suddenly there was the usual rush, a convulsive yelp, and struggle,, and my bait disappeared.I waited a full five minutes before striking ; then, throwing all my weight into the pull, I struck and, by the answering tug knew the hoo'.i had gone home.

The game was ■ caught ! The next thing was to get him out. Making the rope fast to a palmetto I went to the stable, disconnected the front axle and wheels from the rest of the waggon, hitched the mules to them, and drove down to the lake. Now came the exciting part of the business. Fastening the rope to the axle and whipping ur. the mules, I started to pull out ms captive.

Now, a ten-foot alligator in his native element, with his feet on the bottom, can pat up a pretty gooii fight, but the mules were good ones and had the advantage, and slowly, but surely., the saurian was hauled landwards. A lusty 'gator can bellow like- a bull, and as soon as this one emerged from the water he began to roar. This was a new experienci for the mules, and they turned and looked behind them to see what kind of freight they were hauling. One look was enough. They needed no further encouragement from me, but started off for the next county, tearing up and down hill as though the Evil One himself was after them—and they probably thought he was.

It was no use to follow their headlong flight on foot, so I hastily saddled my horse and galloped after them. The sandy road was marked at first with signs of something being dragged along it, later by blood and pieces of alligator ; and finally, five miles up country, I found the worst scared team of mules in the State stuck in the bush, and behind them the man-eater, battered and bruised almost out of recognition. Needless to say., he was as dead as the proverbial door-nail.