News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-11
CAPTURE OF A SEA COW.
SECURING A RARE AMERICAN MON
STER IN FLORIDA.

SECURING A RARE AMERICAN MON
STER IN FLORIDA.
An Animal Which is Little Known
What the EIanatee Looks Like
"A Hunt for One.
A communication to the Cincinnati
Enquirer from St. Lucie bay, Florida,
says: The st. Lucie river is only ten
miles in length 1t is the shortest river
in Florida, if not in America. Certain
persons contend that it is merely part
of Indian river. A small stream IS formed
from the waters that ooze from the
HaIbattccOka Flats and broadens and
d6apens until it is nayigable for small
boats. and when it reaches st. Lucie bay
it is Of quite respectable size. There Is
something peculiar about this stream.
Along its banks plants are found which
| are sought for III vaiu elsewhere, and the
Indians regard it with mysterious awe, so
! That il might be with prOpriety called the
Ganges of the Seminoles. But the
characteristics which gives Il such
importance in the eyes Of the
hunter is that here alone Is found
the rare manatee, or American sea-
COW. These animals were once quite
abundant in many parts of the extreme
South, but to-day the st. Lucie river IS
the only locality where the manatee can
be looked for with any degree of GER
tainty. The high price paid for these
rare animals by naturalists and museums
induces many people in this region to
hunt them, and it was my good fortune
recently to be present at the capture OF a
large one 1t is very difficult task, for
here is creature whose like is not to be
found anywhere else in the world. There
is no more awkward, helpless. or curious
animal. The head is broad, and the eyes
are completely hidden by heavy folds of
skin. The mouth is shaped very much
like that of COW in every way but the
teeth. These are so long and sharp that
one might at first be led to believe that
they belonged to a carnivorous species.
Nevertheless, the sea COW isa strict vege-
tartan and eats nothing but aquatic
plants. 1t has been asserted that its only
food is the manatee grass, which grows
in immense quantities in the St. Lucie
river. The grass has large, broad blades,
and is found in eight or ten feet of water,
growing on the bottom and extending to
the surface.
A full-grown manatee should weigh
about 200 pounds, although one monster
was captured many years ago which
weighed /, 500 pounds. Such one would
be twelve feet in length and have girth of
four feet They are provided with flip
pers about ten inches in length, and the
body diminishes into large, fan-like tail
similar to the porpoise. The skin is black
and sparsely covered with short, black
hair They move with considerable ra-
pidity through the water, and although
most clumsy-looking animal when on
land, they understand very well how to
conduct themselves in their native ele-
ment They possess, perhaps. the most
acute hearing of all animals. So delicate
and perfect is this sense in the manatee
that the sound of an oar, no matter how
carefully handled, will alarm them at a
distance of half mile. 1t is common
habit in Key West and other towns in
| Southern Florida, in speaking Of man
whose hearing ii acute, to say that he
! hears like manatee. This is wise dls-
pensatiOn of Providence, for the manatee
! is lacking in almost every ordinary means
! of self-defense. When caught they never
attempt to bite, and can in no way resent
the indignities offered by their captors.
Their flesh is excellent eating. The fat
test, iuicest beef is by no means equal to
it.
A hunter named Kelly, with two or three
! companions, recently started out on
manatee hunt. They had large marlin
net and a wooden tank for the purpose OF
keeping the animal alive should one be
caught. The spot selected was a cove
formed by bend in the river, where the
water was twelve feet deep. The net,
which was 300 feet long, was extended
between stakes set firmly in the bottom,
and the hunters retired to their huts IN
the adjacent woods and patiently awaited
results. Two or three times day they
went down and inspected the net, but
nothing was to be seen except an occa-
sional alligator, who beat hasty retreat
through the large meshes of the net as
soon as he perceived the danger ne was
in. A small rowboat was used In gong
to and from the net which was about
quarter of a mile from the shore. After
two weeks of waiting they were rewarded
bv seeing the floats bobbing about in a
lively fashion. Excitedly, but with sure
movements, the men took bundle OF
inch rope and set out for the captured
nrize. who was creating quite commo-
ton in the water, and tangling himself
ND beautifully in the relentless meshes OF
the marlin net.
The monster was soon tugged into shall
low water. A combination of ropes and
pullevs was arranged and hewas dragged
ashore. With his 200 pounds he was
bv no means easily managed. He was then
Diaced in the tank, which was six by ten
feet, and kept until sloop arrived, which
conveyed the precious freight to Key
West. This was a male, and not long
ago female was caught. do not know
where or to whom they were sold, or at
what price. Some years ago L. L.
Barnum paid 81, 900 in gold for a mama
tee of small size, and their extreme rarity
at the present time would cause them to
be valued at perhaps three times as much.
The animal was kept for fully week be-
fore the sloop arrived, and l formed an
intimate acquaintance with the strange
creature. For the first day or two he was
shy, but | commenced patting him on the
head. and when he saw that my intentions
were good our acquai aintance ripened into
something like friendship. He opened his
mouth and dcvoured bananas, cab
bare leaves and delicate bits of
vegetables which | offered him. During
the week the water in the tank was
changed twice-once with fresh and once
with salt water; one is as good as the
other for the manatee. In days long gone
by, the Seminole Indians, living in White
water bay, near Cape Sable, killed the
manatee, jerzed the flesh, and sold it to
the Spaniards at a good price. Ten years
AGO the meat could be bought at fifty
cents a pound There is no doubt that
the manatee is rapidly becoming an eX-
tinct animal. Like the dodo bird, which
flourished in the East in the middle ages,
but is now extinct, the sea-cow will pass
out of existence, and will be looked upon
! Il few centuries hence as monstrosity.
pound of bananas, it is said, con-
tains more nutriment than three pounds
! of meat or as MANY pounds of potatoes,