The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-02-03
THE BEAR AND THE STEAMER

Il
Culture Encounters the Savage on
the st. Johns. The Hunter and the
Hunted on n Big Scale. The Stage
and the Actors.
1t was high noon. From above
flood OF golden sunshine poured down
upon the dimpling waters Of Lake Dex-
ter rs If the freeze had never been other
hen dim recollection handed down
r"in 1885, and oaks and p-lmettoes and
distant pines stood green as in summer,
and opened every pore to the grateful
! warmth.
Nor was inanimate nature alone in its
sensuous enjoyment OF the kindly heat
| the soft breeze and the Gus influ-
ence of the hour. \ fisherman had
| pushed his light boat Far into the lily
! pads and was now rocked with them by
the gentle waves which rose and fell
with a regularity, musical and rhythmic
to his dreamy ear. That he had been
busy was proved by the victims at his
feet, but the rod had dropped from his
hand when he reached for his pipe, and
he had abandoned himself laisly to the
listlessness which urged that since
enough fish had already been caught for
dinner it was useless as well as cruel to
break dream for the sake OF killing
| more
But the hunters fire flashed into his
eyes and electrified every muscle into
new life as he caught the sound OF a
heavy tread in the thicket near him and
he noiselessly grasped the rifle which lay
ready to his hand. Steadily the tramp,
tramp continued, till bear brushed
aside the underground and paused on
the margin of the lake. Evidently Bruin
, was suspicious, for he sat upon his
launches and turned his face eagerly
! upwards as he sought 1.-The tainted gale"
for warning of possible foes. But he
| wrinkled his nose in vain, for the only
enemy near was the quiet fisherman who
smiled to think that he was down the
wind" Then Bruin stood on his feet
again and listened. There were no sounds
save the ru.tling of the palmettoes, the
sharp patter of the oaks, the distant
wailing of the pines, and the sharp notes
Of a cat-bird scolding the stranger who
was evidently an unusual visitor. No
doubt the forest voices aroused in his brute
heart dim yearnings for the time, ira
dictionary to him, when the rifle had not
yet extingushed all hope of successful
| issue to n combat with man; of this
however, he said nothing to the silent
| fisherman, but only walked boldly into
the lake and began - swim outwaris
Did he intend to insist on q share of the
| tishernans dinner? The rifle was raised
for second but then lowered with n
smile and the pipe resumed as the bear
struck out for the opposite shore, distant
nearly three miles. How bravely the for.
| est monarch swam-how his sturdy
limbs tossed aside the water and how
| well he bore himself in an element so
| different from his native heath.
But a sound as OF distant thunder sa-
lutes his ears, and his measured stroke is
changed to one quickened by fear rs he
anNiously turns his head southwark
| TIN same sound comes. also. II the fish
erua", fir iIe iauE 5 long and loud and
watches the scene with renewed interest.
The Philistines are upon thee Sampson;
the strength of the many threaten the
brute force Of the giant, With rush as
OF thousand wings-guided by the
thought OF century. wherein the wild
| beast and the savage has no place-with
! a shriek which sounds to poor bruin like
roar OF triumph, the steamer Anita
| energies from the narrow river into
the lake. Captain Bravo himself is in
the pilot house, and at his summons
Purser TRAY marshals the passengers to
see the poor bears agony. Faster swims
the savage-onward rushes the steamer,
and more eager is the mass of cultured
humanity to see the poor beasts terror.
They scream and point as be rolls his
eye in a frenzy not poetic-they
laugh more wildly as he plunges through
the waters and delicate ladies who pet
their kittens and kiss their poodles
watch delighted till the bear, almost ex-
hausted, reaches the shore and brushes
through the thicket in fear and tremb- !