The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-08-19
NIiTANE1S.
Editor PALATKA NEWS

make Won report, and | will try and
keep up the custom. Our party from
WeIaka consists of J. S. North and vi sc,-
r. LII. Hotchkin and wife, and f. II.
Stearus and wife from Georgetown. DIR.
Larned and wife, of Pomona. VIM. II.
Wills and wife of Satsuma. We left on
the 11th. by steamer Comet to Palatka,
and steamer Crescent CITY to Toeoi+
There fell in with Esquire j. H. Harp
and daughter and Mr.. and Mrs. Hill ana
two children of Crescent City. This ad-
c.ed much to our pleasure all round,
We got to st. Augustine about | p. m,
where Capt. Hotchkin, who had gone on
i'm advance to make all necessary ar
rangements, met us and we were soon
installed in good quarters at the Clevc-
land House. We We're soon out looking
for the usual sights the ancient city bra@s
of. We done up the old fort. sea wall
Plaza, Cathedral, bar~ack. Saw the AN
cient gun fired, etc. At the fort, Stearns
found Il new dungeon, and thought |
heard bones and chains rattle. This
should be Investigated by some bold.
a.,
cages has been carried off by tho ton.
and it is high time a new skeleton and
cage business was started for further
use. ST. Augustine is welcome to all Its
antiquity, narrow streets, concrete
houses with blinds all closed, soda water
fountains with only three glasses for a
dozen to drink from, etc. For progreS-
SION go over on the St. Johns river.
After pleasant night and good
breakfast we all left for the steamer
Capt. III. had chartered to carry our par
tv to Matanzas. Cook, supplies, bag
gage and ourselves were all slowed on
board and every few minutes the steam
er would whistle, and some slow native
would come and get on. This we en-
dured for an hour. Finally, a man came
briskly. and we felt sure all was ready,
when he cody told the good-nat,lred
Captain that his wife and baby wVnid
come as soon as the baby woke. In due
time she came, then the captain blew
another whistle and started up town for
a plug of tobacco. That obtained. we
were soon off. ard pleasant ride of over
two hours brought us to the Matanzas
house. with the grand old surf rolling in
sight, about half mile off. We were
soon assigned to rooms, and got our sup
plies and baggage up in good order. At
ter dinner we donned bathing suits and
went for the surf. That is Where the
invigorating sport is to be bad. The
water was warm. and beach shallow
breakers fine-we tumbled about for an
hour Going back to the house, we
found a bear had crossed OUr track and
went in direction Of the river. To settle
all doubts. we called Stearns, who Is an
old bear hunter. having done ,hcm Mp
in Michigan years ago. lie pronounced
it a monster. and very fc>h. While he
was telling the crowd how he went up q
coon tree. and FELL down the hollow and
found lie was in a bears nest once, when
the bear came backing down the hole
he grabbed it by the tail, stuck his knife
into bruin and up went both rs the
bear went over the side of the rec,
Stearns clipped OF his tail, and has it
vet for a trophy. While telling this his
blood was rising. and he and the captain
started for the bear, despite the entrea-
ties of their wives. Getting to the river
it was evident the bear had swau across
and Stearns was going after him re gard
less of sharks playing about but he was
finally persuaded to give it up. as we as
sured him that, as there had been
heavy thunder storm in that direction
that afternoon. the bear had, likely,
been struck by lightning. We then re
turned to the house to cool of our eX-
cited nerves.
After a good nights rest and break
fast, we all went surf bathing again, and
enjoyed it immensely. That night |
took a stroll around to see what folks
were doing. In the parlor | found
prayer meeting going on. | remained
long enough to find out that Stearns was
responsible for it. In room across the
hall found party playing High. Low.
Jack and the Game. Another party ON
the porch, were discussing matters for
next day. Up stairs was a party playing
Euchre. Al the proper time all repeated
their little prayer and went for that
sweet restorer nature speaks oI so much.
and | guess they found it, as the only
disturbance | heard of was n racket IN
Capt. HIS room. \ committee of inves-
tigation proceeded TO the captains room
to investigate the cause. The captain
explanation was that there was only
three Stats to the bed. 1t was reluctant
ly accepted; he has since made his bed
on the floor. The next morning Squire
Harp, Mr.. Wells and the captain deter
mined TO go and and get net and boat,
but nothing of the kind was to be had
here, and after hard days tramp of