Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-08-30
EXCITING
ns Capture eff 60 EAsc cs.ss
Of VforfHn-

ma Capture 81 60 TIE Ease Cease
Of Fierfda-
Ths east coast of Florida At one tina
cot so very far distant VA the hunters
paradise. And even nov. for the
smaller game. there are few parts OF
the State where more fun a. Be e.
.oyed By the hunter or fisherman Tbs
na1atee. Or ''sea-cow.n 10 one OF thu
few large animals LEFT in this section,
and its pursuit Is exciting in the ex-
trene- Il Is . very peculiar animal
both in its appearance and habits. and
its mode OF capture Is interesting. Ths
uznatee looks ike = huge porker
squeezed fat or an elongated pan
cake It Is generally 8 TO IL feet in
length. and from 4 to 6 feet broad. and
Il has a fat body. It's head is shaped
something like n cows, with q round
nuzzle. The skin is dark and rough,
and hangs in folds similar to hat Of a
hippopotanus or rhinoceros; il Is
Sparsely covered with hair. The ami
mails eyes r well-nigh covered up
by the folds Of flesh or skin that hang
loose around its head The animals
weigh from nine hundred pounds up
ward. and. though most helpless and
ungainly looking creatures when on
Land. yet in the water they are ex-
eeedingly spry. their fukes and Zip
pers sending them through the water
with Incredible speed They are very
acute Of ear. and detect sounds on the
water for q long distance, hence their
capture il q matter Of no small skill
and d~exterity. They live on grass
almost wholly. and there are only 8
few places on the coast where they
have feeding grounds
ST. Lucie river. which opens into
Indian river from the Halpatteeoka
creek some miles above this place, Is
their favorite haunt here. The stream
IL short. wide. and with little current
The waters are dark and the bed Of
the river Is covered with 4 thick
growth Of vegetation. 9 "sea-cow-
grass being the principal plant Many
other rare plants are also found along
is banks. none OF which grow else
where
Three fine specimens were captured
last fall and two others q few months
ago The last party used . very heavy
and strong purse let. strengthened
with extra ropes They selected .
cove near the mouth OF the river.
where the water was about twelve feet
deep. The net. which Wa abou. 800
long and with very large neshss. was
extended between stakes Sc. a. the
bottom and shaped so Is to have an
open place left at the lower side. As the
uanatses eat against the stream
After the trap was set the party retired
to their camp, nearly = mile away. and
patiently awaited results. The net
vas visited every day. but beyond AT
alligator or shark nothing was secured
At length. after eight or nine days Of
waiting, their patience was rewarded
By finding. one noon. two fine speci-
mems entangled in the net. neshesL
The task to get them put was not an
easy 4 by any can While the
animals were tinHd enough when o
molested. yet when at bay they were
antagonists not to be despised- The
net was gradually brought in toward
shore. the animals making furious
rushes and plungcs as they felt the in
closing wings of me net. A fsatboas
was then pushed up close to the net;
strong ropes were thrown around ons
Of the uantee>. and It was so tightly
strapped up and enyeloped that il
could not nov This was attended
With considerable danger. and one OF
the men received a eve wound in
the thigh from the creatures tusk.
while another wa. knocked --enseless
BY a blow from its huge and powerful
tail Both animals were finally
secured. and then by means Of power
ful tackle lifted on to fats and placed
in tanks They were then taken to
Titusville. shipped thence to Jackson
vile. and after being exhibited there
for several days. were forwarded to
New York. there to be sold to a
menagerie.-JHPtter Lslet (FZa.) Letter