The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-12-12
A TURTLE WHIPS A BEAR.
A NOVEL AND EXCITING BATTLE
ON A FLORIDA BEACH.
A Big Black Bear Attacks a Mon
Il, 81

n recent issue OF the st. Louis Globe
Democrat says:
The schooner Mabel F., Captain Eek
Dickerson, came into Charlotte Harbor
Fla, on Saturday, with a load of huge
loggerhead turtles and fish. The turtles
were monsters, several of them measur
ing over nine feet from end to end, ovei
the SHE'LL and five to seven across. Sucl
ones will weigh from 100 to 1000 pound,
each, and it is no chld's play to capture
them. Several of the crew had severe
wounds on their hands, caused by the
sharp claws with which the turtles flip.
pcrs are armed, and one sailor was mourn.
ing the loss of his thumb. which he
lost 10y fooling with one of the captives.
The mate, jim Wheelan, and sailor
named Dan Bryan had the unusual luck
OF witnessing fight between big black
bear and a monster turtle. 1t occurred
at Key Nina. The schooner was at anchor
on the inside shore, while the men went
across the island, half mile or so, and
secured turtles on the gulf shore. The
second night these two, by some choice,
wandered down to the end of the island.
While going along cautiously they heard
a confused sound some way ahead, as If
some kind of a fight was going on. A
deal of thrashing about was audible,
and sort of roar or grunt that sounded
like bear was heard. Pushing forward
they soon rounded sharp turn that the
beach made, and the cause of the rumpus
was before them. At first they could not
tell what it was, but saw that two big
forms were struggling together and
fighting furiouslv. From the grunts
they knew that q bear was one of the
combatants.
Cautiously and silently they came up
nearer and to their great surprise they
perceived that the fight was between
huge loggerhead turtle and big, shaggy
black bear. From their positions it
would seem that the bear had sprung on
the turtle as it was retreating to water,
and had tried to overturn it. In some
way it had stepped in front Of the turtle,
and the latter, thrusting its head out, had
quietly seized one of bruins hind legs
and held on. At this the bear roared
loudly and paved furiousiy at the
turtles back, trying to force him over on
his back. This the turtle resisted with
all his strength and weight, settling
down close to the ground whenever the
bear made an extra effort, and then, as
the latter relaxed his efforts, the turtle
would suddenly start up and endeavor
to get nearer the water, keeping his firm
hold OF the bears leg all the while. This
move would arouse bruins ire again. and
the fierce contest would be renewed with
increased fury. The bears disengaged
hind leg plowed the sand deeply as he
endeavored to stop the turtles progress
waterward, while his fore paws clawed
loggerhead madly, vainly trying to find
some vulnerable spot; for, judging by
his angry growing and the desperate
efforts he made to release his leg from
the reptiles grip, the turtle was holding
on for keeps.
By sudden push and a powerful
muscular effort of his head and paws
bruin managed to get the turtle half-set,
one side being raised foot or so. Pur-
suing his advantage he seized one of the
turtles big flippers in his jaws, and the
snap that followed showed that bruin
felt that things were evening up. The
old loggerhead plainly didn't like eIthls
change of tactics, for its free tlippers
moved like the fan Of threshing ma
chine. Its big body plunged from side
to side, while it scattered the sand in
showers all around as it tried to throw
off its big antagonist. "he bear was
dragged around considerably by the
turtles movements, and the pain in his
imprisoned leg evidently put him in very
bad humor. He kept chewing the turtles
fipper and endeavoring to get the latter
overthrown. The old turtle worked
around and finally got in a stroke with
its sharp claw that badly ripped the bears
under side. This infuriated bruin so
much that he let go his grip on his anita
CONSISTS flipper, and reaching his head
down, tried to free his hind leg. But he
made bad mistake, and the fighting
mad loggerhead quickly improved his
opportunity. As bruins nose came
within reach he let 90 the leg, and quick
as n flash fastened his iron grip on the
bears jaw.
The boys say that then ensued a
circus. The bear was thoroughly taken
by surprise, and he roared Justify with
pain and rage. The turtle pushed on
and dragged his unwilling captive along.
The latter saw his danger and felt it,
too, for they were so near the waters
edge that the waves splashed over them.
The combat continued at this point for
several seconds; it was plainly to be seen
that both were pretty well tuckered out,
and either would have been willing to
cry quits. But neither dared let 90.
The loggerhead dragged him along and
finally had him in water knee-deep.
Here he had things more his own way.
The waves coming in dashed the bear
about so that he maintained his footing
with difficulty. lie frantically danced
about, endeavonng to get free, and
using his terrible claws ali he could, but
the turtles coat of mail proved impene- !
trable. Bruins strength now began to
fail, and his big foe took advantage of |
every relaxation of his efforts to escape. |
Slowly the turtle worked his way out
into deeper water, his flippers helping |.
him wonderfully in his native element.
A shelving rock or slide was soon
gained, and there the last STRUGGLE |
took place. The turtle, half covered |
with water, was raised time and again
foot OF SO by the frantic struggles of |
the partially drowned bear, whose head |
was kept under the water longer each |
time. 1t was plainly to be seen now
that the bear was doomed. After a
few minutes longer Of the struggle, as |
the bear rested a moment, the turtle |
plunged oil into deep water, dragging |
his prey under. As the bear went down |
his hind legs kicked conYulsively. but |
IN very feeble way. The wa chers of |
this ferocious encounter waited for an |
hour, TO see il the body of the bear
W. ha