The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-24
THE DAILY STAR
BEARS AFLOAT.

To-day the Florida peninsula, south OF
the ancient city Of Augustine, is nearly
as much of an unknown land as when
tn, Sc I'D Spanish & dees, DE Soto and
De Leon, were ransacking its almost inn
penetrable jungle in search of gold and
the fountain OF perpetual youth. The east
coast in fact, is not nearly as much fre'
guented by man as it was in the old
Spanish days.
The exubt rance of nature in that semi
tropical climate is still running wild
met, and probably will continue to do so
for ages to come; for, as discouraged
settler once said to the writer, "God
hasn't finished this country yet, and it's
no use stanoing round in His way"
Soon after the close Of the late war it
was the fortune of H to become con-
nected with certain company of lum-
bermen, who at that time located near
Mosquito Inlet, about one hundred
miles south of ST. Augustine.
H-was serving the company in a
sort of general capacity, including store
keeping, time keeping, hunting and fish
ing and bartering with the neighbors for
such camp supplies as their limited
amount of energy could afford.
1t was on the occasion of proposed
excursion to old man Futch's place to
procure boat-load Of sweet pumpkins
1--WE should call them squashes), that the
incidents of our bear story took place.
Old man Futch, rs he was familiarly
called, was one of the nearest neighbors,
and with his wife lived in a palmetto
thatched log cabin of one room, near the
north end, or head, of Mosquito Inlet,
something more than sixty miles from
the camp.
A minute description of the gentle
man bearing the euphonious name Of
"Futch," together with his surroundings
his house, and appurtenances, and his
manner of living, would astonish most
New England boys.
Mosquito Inlet, after breaking through
the ridge of low, white sand hillocks
that line the coast extends its water.
both north and south in narrow lagoons
parallel with. and at no point more than
three miles from the sea-shore, thus
forming narrow peninsulas varying in
width from one to two miles. .f
The north peninsula slstains little ex-
cept rank growth of shrubbery over its
whole extent. consisting principally of
the low palmetto, which produces an
abundance of rich oily berries, OF which
bears are exceedingly fond.
Between sunset and dark, on single
evening. H-has counted eight full
grown bears, that would average to
weigh near 400, swimming the lagoon
from their homes in the dark primeval
forest of the main land, in quest OF Il
supper and moonlight promenade on
the peninsula. ,..,
At midnight when the bright moon
was hanging low over the dark Allan
tic, away out where the skies and water
seemed to meet, her g leaning beams
PLAYING hide and seek with the white
crested waves chasing far up the hard
sand beach, H has watched, from a
lirtle bough-house in the sand hills, an
old dam and her two cubs cantering
along the waters edge, occasionally stop
ping as the incoming waves broke round
her huge feet, with perhaps an offering
of some unlucky crab or other dainty
mouthful from oceans store.house--the
little ones, meantime, scampering out of
the way, only to follow up the receding
waters with their gambols, till the next
white-capped roller folded itself over
with a crash and boom that set them
scrabbling off again.
One fine morning an early start was
made from camp by order Of Major
Hoyt, who was General Superintendent,
with a good-natured supplementary COM
mand not to come back without bring
ing something to eat.
The party consisted of a Western half
,breed Indian called John, Guss Hoyt, a
fourteen-year-old son of the Majors, and
h. u. ....'. "a. ...l. u.a
The outfit was made up of common
ships yawl, all old Springfield rifle, a
Ballard rifle and Colts revolver. VIZ
The wind was fair and steady. The
tide served at four o'clock, and ten
minutes after the little craft was afoat
with her sail filled, and lifted along at a
rate which soon put Camp Grange" at
. distance.
On past low-lying marsches, covered
with coarse grass, and dotted here and
there with on occasional scraggy man
grove, or the tall, limbless trunk of q
palmetto palm. On through narrow
passages, between oyster reefs and shoals
where the tide eddies and whirls like q
mill-race, the little craft scud in the gray
morning.
Rather q dubious scene, on the whole,
.siA the suns rays leaped over the sand
Eails and 1it'up the old black forest of
Yine, live oak, and magnolia, that grew
b the waters edge on the mainland.
H-was at the helm, intent upon
ssoiding reefs, shoals and sandbars
Guss managed the sheet-rope with turn
round q Delaying pin, as directed by ,the
steersman, while John sat with the Bal.
krd rifle across his'lap. quietly "watch.
Ing cut"
Never word had he spoken since the
touruey began. 1t was not a very social
4 t., G. -