The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1888-09-06
EXCITING
ne Capture Of Msnstsss On IN East Coos
~ piovfdau

81 HtorfoAs
The east coast Of Florida at one time
not 30 very far distant ives the hunters
paradise. And even pow, for the
smaller game, there are few parts Of
the State where moro fun can be en-.
1oyed by the hunter or fisherman. Ths
manstee, or ''sea-cow," Is one Of the
few large animals left In this section,
and It's pursuit Is exciting in the ak
treme. 1t Is q very peculiar animal,
both In Its appearance and habits, and
Its mode Of capture is interesting. The
manatee looks like q huge porker
squeezed fat" or an elongated "psu.
cake" 1t is generally 8 to ~ feet in
length, and from 4 to 6 feet broad, and
II has a fiat body. Its head is shaped
something like o cows, with a round
muzzle. The skin is dark and rough,
and hangs in folds similar to that OF q
hippopotamus or ~rhinoceros; 1t Is
sparsely covered with hair. The ami
mails eyes III well-nigh covered up
by the folds Of flesh or skin that hang
loese 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-
ceedinsly spry, their Aukes and flip
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 Is a matter Of no small skill
and ~dexterity. They live on grass
almost wholly, and there are only q
few places on the coast where they
have feeding grounds.
st. Lucie river, which opens int
Indian river from the Halpatteeoka
creek some miles above this place, Is
their favorite haunt here. The stream
Is short, wide, and with littls current.
The waters are dark and the bed OF
tho river Is covered with a thick
growth of vegetation, Q ~'sea-cow"
grass being the principal plant. Many
other rare plants are also found along
Its banks. none Of which grow else
where.
Three fine specimens were captured
last fall and two others a few months
ago. The last party used a very heavy
and strong purse net, strengthened
with extra ropes. They selected a
cove near the mouth Of the river,
where the water was about twelve feet
deep. The net, which was about 800
long and with very large meshes, was
extended between stakes set at the
and shaped so as to have an
open place left at the lower side, as the
.anatees eat against the stream.
After the trap was set the party retired
to their camp, nearly a mile away, and
patiently awaited results. The net
visited every day, but beyond an
alligator or shark nothing was secured.
At length, after eight or nine days Of
waiting, their patience was rewarded
BY finding, n noon, two fine speci-
mems entangled il the nets meshes.
The task to get them out was not an
Easy one by any means. While the
animals were timid enough when not
nolested, yet when at bay they were
antagonists not to be despised. The
let was gradually brought in toward
'hore, the animals making furious
and plunges as they felt the in
wings OF the net. A fatboat
then pushed up close to the net;
trong ropes were thrown around one
II the mantees, and 1t was SO tightly
trapped up and enveloped that 1t
ould not move. This was attended
Nth considerable danger, and one OF
he men received a severe wound In
he thigh from the creatures tusk,
'hile another a knocked s~enseless
y . blow from its huge and powerful
Both animals were finally
ecured, and then by means OF power :
III tackle lifted on to flats and placed
1 tanks. They were then taken to
'itusville, shipped thence to Jackson
lille, and after being exhibited there
" several days, were forwarded to
'ew York, there to be sold to q
naror IL - T,o,for J,I,y / FL, t.