. St. Nicholas [serial] . ar, and as the deal-ers probably charge twice the price paid thehunters, a fair estimate of the number ofalligators killed for sale in that State, andnot counting those shot by tourists, would be THE ten thousand annually. One hears very con-flicting reports as to the length of large alliga-tors. A prominent dealer in Jacksonville saidthat out of ten thousand hides handled by himnone were over twelve feet long. I am told thatat the Centennial, side by side with a crocodilefrom the Nile, there was shown an alligatorfrom Florida sixteen feet in length. Years ago near a
. St. Nicholas [serial] . ar, and as the deal-ers probably charge twice the price paid thehunters, a fair estimate of the number ofalligators killed for sale in that State, andnot counting those shot by tourists, would be THE ten thousand annually. One hears very con-flicting reports as to the length of large alliga-tors. A prominent dealer in Jacksonville saidthat out of ten thousand hides handled by himnone were over twelve feet long. I am told thatat the Centennial, side by side with a crocodilefrom the Nile, there was shown an alligatorfrom Florida sixteen feet in length. Years ago near a place called Enterprise, on GATOR. 75 canoe. A bright idea struck him. He put hisvisiting-card in the beasts mouth and paddledswiftly back. A number of hunters were at thewharf, and the slayer of Big Ben hastenedto inform them with apparent sincerity thatwhile out paddling he had come within easyrange of the gator, who was, no doubt, stilllying motionless on the point. A flotilla ofboats and canoes, manned by an army with. ui; ; ?WW I \W ? A QUIET NAP ON THE RIVER BANK. a point jutting into Lake Monroe, during allbright days a certain big alligator used to liebasking in the sun. He was well known to thewhole neighborhood. The entire coterie ofsportsmen at the only hotel used to call him Big Ben, and proud hunters would talk, andeven dream, of the time when a well-aimedrifle-shot would end his long career. But BigBen was as cunning as a serpent, and when-ever any one, afoot or afloat, came unpleasantlynear, he would slide off into the water,—whichmeant good-bye for the rest of the day. One fine morning one of these sportsmen,paddling up the lake, luckily with his rifle in hiscanoe, came upon Big Ben so sound asleepthat he stole up within range and put a bulletthrough the alligators brain. What to donext was a problem. He could not tow themonster all the way to Enterprise with his small rifles, instantly started for the point. To avoidconfusion it was unanimously agreed that al
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