Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-30
SHOOTING A SEA LION.
THE STRANGE ANIMAL KILLED
In THE SATILLA.

bly, the Animal that Escaped from
BRltimore-Its size and Weight.
THE NEWS received yesterday from
Mr.. John A. Foster, of the Hilton Lumber
COmpany's mills on the Satilla river,
hind foot and the tall OF an animal sup
posed 10 have been a sea lion. The foot
and the tail were brought up 10 Savannah
by Capt. +. +. Daniels, OF the steamer
David Clark, and they were accompanied
by a letter which stated that the animal
was FIRST discovered on Sunday afternoon
lastly some negro boys. They were play
ing on the river shore near the lumber
mills, when their attention was attracted
by a peCUliar-lOOking animal lying on
one OF the ballast whsryes on the 0ppo-
site side OF the river. After watching the
object awhile they called some negro
men, and these rOwed across the stream.
AS they approached, the animal watched
them curiously, and raising its head ut
tered repeated loud roars. The negroes
were too frightened 70 approach close 10 the
wharf, and they kept at a safe distance.
One OF the party had gun in the boat,
but they were too superstitious or too
frightened TO snoot. In a short while
number Of white people were attracted to
the shore by the roaring Of the animal.
Mr.. Foster, with Mr.. McEyoy, the fore
man OF the mill, and one of the employees
pulled across the river in a rOwboat. They
supposed that the animal was a seal or a
sea lion, and they tried to capture 1t.
With every roar the animal threw It's
head and neck from one side to the other,
and looked piteously at its would-be
captOrs. They had got within few feet
Of the animal when il slipped quietly into
the water and swan around the wharf.
1t did not seem to be much afraid of the
men, but played and gambOled about in
the water so gracefully and prettily that
for awhile they gave up the plan of cap
turing it. Mrs. Foster, Miss Collier
and a number of others were taken
across the river in boats, so that they
could get a good view of the animal, the
like of which was probably never before
seen in that water. 1T would swim off a
little way and then rush back and throw
its body almost entirely out of the water.
After watching the animalIa sport for q
time the men got rope and tried to lassO
it. Although they could approach very
close, it would not hold its head still
long enough for moose to be
tired Of furnishing free amusement
for the spectators, and swan off up
the river. Being afraid it would escape,
Mr.. Foster followed it in boat, and when
within a few yards OF the animal fired a
load of shot into its head. The
body was then taken ashore, meas
ured, weighed, skinned and dissected.
The skin was very thick, mOuse-colOred
on the back and sides and fawn-col-
ored on the belly. The head was small
and the neck long, graceful and tapering
from the fore feet to the bead. The fore
feet were nearer the middle Of the body
than those OF a seal. From the arms or
fore feet to the webbed feet behind the
body was almost round, growing gradu-
ally smaller toward the tail. The hind
feet were at the extreme end of the body,
close together, and with only small tail,
about 4 inches long, between them. These
hind feet, one of which was sent to the
NEWS, had five toes each, with a nail on
each toe, although the membrane ex-
tended beyond the nails into straps 3
inches long. These feet in outline resem-
bic human hand, there being the CORE
spending joints in the toes that there are
in the hand.
The part that would correspond to the
human wrist is covered with short, brown
hair. On each side of the mouth were
long, stiff whiskers similar to a cats.
The eyes were perfectly round, and pc
culiar In expression, having q mild and
docile look. The ears were round and not
more than one inch long, and could be
Theoretically sealed, as could the nose
also. Between the skin and the flesh was
a layer Of firm tat an inch thick covering
the whole body. The heart and lungs
were much larger than a mans. The
body was 6 feet inches long. and feet
around in the largest part. The animal
was female, and weighed 159 pounds.
Mr.. Foster wrote; ''The animal we de-
eide is either female sea lion or an ur-
SINE seal. Please give us your views OF
how II happened In these waters"
From the description given in the let
ter the animal was no doubt a sea lion,
and very likely the one that escaped from
Druid Hill park in Baltimore, one night
few weeks ago.
In 1888 John Garrett, then the president
Of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, pre-
sented the city OF Baltimore with a sea
lion which was obtained in California.
The animal died and the next year, 1884,
Mr.. Garrett ordered two more. A mother
lion and baby lion were sent and placed
in Druid Hill park, where they attracted
crowds OF people. During the SUMMER,
however, first the old animal aud then the
young one died. Early last summer Rob
ert Garrett ordered two or three more sea
/ lions from California. They were care
| fully transported in a specially arranged
/ car and reached Baltimore in good
condition. They were placed in a pond
/ and carefully attended, but high wind
/ in the early part Of October blew down
/ the fence around the pond and a fe-
male lion escaped into the Pa
tapsco river. The next day it was
seen going down Chesapeake bay, but
since then has not been reported. IL is
! quite likely that the animal kept on down
the coast, perhaps intending TO 90 back TO
/ its old home on the Pacific side.
An authority on the subject OF sea lions
says that "the torefeet are further back
! that in the other seals; the hindfeet have
! the membrane prolonged beyond the nails
/ into long straps or ribbons; the fOrefeet
! are nailless, and the lower surface of all
/ the limbs is without hair. There are also
| small external ears, nom which these
seals are called diaries. The name OF sea
/ lion has been given 70 number " large
/ seals OF both hemispheres, either from
their savage appearance, roaring voice,
/ powerful CANNES, or named neck"
I
Appointing a New Sachem.
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