The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-26
IT PASTURES IN THE SEA.
THE INNATE on SEA FCoW OF
EL0RiDi'S RIpERS IND TNLETs.
II. sstruc urr. HABITS. nnd E.ew'es-A
Young One tcad- Its W0uid-hr Cnptore
mn Excltinr Chase Through the BtvnRcrs-

n. strue urr. Hanu-. nnd E.em'es--A
| Young One leads It's Nouid-s- Cnptore
mn Excninr Chase Through the BrvnHers-
ST.. AuuuSrINE. Juno 25.-Thc mnnatee or
sca COW 10 TN nriphibious creature OF the
! pachydurnal family that once was worry nu-
| mcions along the shores of Florida. the West
| Indies. trorira! Brazil, and the Gull. OF
| Guincn. hut which in our day IL almost ex-
| thee. Il Las tho body cth whale. tho hide OF
| II lhnoceros. nnL S. whole carcass. from
| muz2lo to TAIL l. R;Guscly covered with short
| rti;T hrstrs like thOsn on ;in back ~ n hog
The arimnl in s,lnc WAYS ~ "A curious mixture
uf several other amphihin. resembling many.
| and y"t distinct" none; Int ON the othcr hAn0
it Is in y few respects totally dssimilar to auy
other known creature of land or water, ole
though II graHrs like n cow lives like hippo
fntninnH and swlms Tx n fish.
1t inrtnkcs. hcwrycr. moro Of the nature and
reculiaritics OF the hipporota anus thnn Of any
other livinE creature. especially in tho disk-liko
! muE2ic ava thrI. hide. as well ms in the man
ner OF It's eating and style Of living: but again.
! unlike tn" nippon rtnnus. 1t Is not q fahting
beast. aud its feeding is done entirely at night.
| ]. being II timid and almost dc'enceless ores
| unexpectedly harmless in every way-and
! possessing hide that is valuable and nesn
that is well Favored. the natives of both contis
nents have hunted this animal until to-day.
Ike the departed bison tho species is almost
extinct. The coast OF Floria IL now about tho
| only place in the world whore Tho manntee cam
| yet be f"Und iii considerable numbers. They
| havr never teen heard OF outside Of tho limits
| of the Atlantic. their places In other oceans
| and uihc. cliMcs being takon by their flrst
cousin. the dmg'nG. who is n native OF Coylou
and tn" Last India islands.
| In Florida the manatrc. there popularity
! known rs the sen cow suUsists almost en-
trcly Il REGULAR kind Of marsh herbage
called manlice grass. which grows in great
! album lance aoa. the swampy shores OF
| I'l"rihus inlots and rivers. Notwithstand.
| in. its thick hide and stifr bristles ths
crcnture is said to form II favorte morsel of
food for tho hordcs Of savage blue eharks +,
| which are ANN rous along the coast OF Florids-
! lhr N"rlh Amc.iran manatce attAins length
! 81 ir"m ton +" twenty feet. and weighs any
nrc ahoM, 8 icet long At birth and weigh from
e t." 100 "Gm IS InS South
| Inc hounE>tais rapidly accumulate bulk.
nmniiw VA inrrntsi3E age and exnerenee 40
sharks and "ther enSmSs S MISUNDERSTANDING
mana,ec is Dy lar the srccdiest If all the large
sea animals. and this appears ali the more res
lower. ,ihy insignificant fiat tail is small.
th"ugh 'nick: s.emingig. insufficient. for THO
| the water aud it seems scarcely possible for
the huliy, creature 70 work his ctudal append
lrrful impetus which II certainly attains. Un-
Ike othor native, of tn" deep. tho manatee's
s"n cut as Is tho ,' case with lie shark. blue.
! fish. or larr"n. nor is 4 PLACED on edge-that
totally dis~tmi.ar il every respect from the
conventional lines Of a good propeller.
Would be- as nS BSsgf Tonna
bulky, and sparsely covered With short. stin
/ ,f IL ia
INK, ahbibnohG,armMI; mom'h scarcely large
seal. a Nat tail. and !. hide fully m inen thick.
ITS arsm ss III e." hans confined with
Iaratively secure from harm r. unless skilfully
Is the s. Lucia River near Jupiter Inlet in.
inc, merely a good strong Sc ne of the finest
Guirnd fro:n Iona. study and exp.rien"e Of the
HABITS. ways. and f"vnlite grazing grounds
or sherman runs a"r5ss the least Whe least
expecting it. rs hnrrGnrh not long SINGS to
Jpritar Inlet. They wcrs anietIy I Psddiins
they heard ru5t!nr Just ahead Of them in the
Tnshes and tai gr,s that lind the low
preached inch by inch. whom what was their
surprise to discover = baby maliatee peaee-
UNCONSCIOUS OF tho danger lurking SO near
~, Mr. Hepburn is a tall rowerful, and ATHLETIC
Ho rh"n 'I Hnvine ars s"1! "nd ike et
from his mock he made hall hitch Of one end
nr"unh his right wrist. Mo,,ninS his partner. \
who stood ut tho helm. T., softly advance ths
boat fey feet at The rls;ht .moment Hepbprn
OYER tn" infants rHd'ier-ilke tail. nj the same
tim. grl,; pinG thai member with both hands.
NhiSh Tho young n,anntco swung round
ms. quick rs stroke Of lightning and took upa
iniI";ch-,ninate ,gait straight for open water
boat and its occupants attached to his tail
Were no moro hindrnncc than u bRby carriage
lie toro thr"I:h the rush" rushe.. I'll til" boat swing
ing and rlchng from side to side, but Mr..
ilrrlurn held hi- grip securely until at last
and then mad" II fin" dash for the line nf
breakers that were rolling IL at tue mouth of
he dragged those astonished ,sportsmen along
at IT. na so th1 E nGycr dreamed Possible, and
nearly cnpsiz".N III" trail craft he was towing.
exhausted Hepburn. KeoT her head cad IN %' that
NJ er ported the helm with all the force he
| could muster and held 1t steady. The young
manntco was becoming exhausted in HIS
reciio and pretty soon III" lit'le follow weak.
ene,l so much that Mr. Hepburn was enabled
| lori VAS ih"n irncted To- I,naching the boat,
and u Iow minutes later the captors landed
their lriZn high and dry. whore they could So.
Ta',ins their cnltvc into a boat. they pad
| died back across III" river. aud the next morn
| Ing placed the yuuu, creature in a tank on
| board n river steamer and cnrri.d il to Titus
| VILE whore IT 10. amc nt once the wonder and
! admiration Of th"n-und curious eyes.
EEOALO KA1L.