The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-02

set out for tho waters edge, several. rodi
distant, With a celebrity that aurprisc1 M,
Our young lady visitor. whom I will call
Miss H., was standing neaylyin front oil
the turtle admlring it, proportions when II
40 suddenly rose. She screamed al II
moved and attempted to jump to ono ode,
But the old turtle meant business now and
was bound for home, no matter what OBJ.
stacles were In its path. None of us knew
how It happened, but a. We looked up we
saw the big loggcrhead speeding for the
ocean and Miss II. seated on its back and
screaming Justify. For = second We were
dumfounded at her peril, as the waves
were quite high along this beach, and then
we all set out In pursuit.
The writer and the captain ran ahead Of
the turtle and tried to stop or turn it to
one side. We were both flung down, as the
turtle ran right into us, and az its heavy
weight passed over us We both thought
that turtle hunting wasn't such sport after
all. The veteran knew his game better,
however, and running alongside OF the now
thoroughly alarmed loggerhead he reached
out and grasped Miss H. by the waist,
cleverly lifting her on to the sand, where
she promptly tainted. In the hurry at
tending it all the old turtle dashed into
the water and escaped. Miss II. soon re-
covered, and then she was so vexed that
b vowed not to 90 home until a capture
had been made. :.
turtle was spied. just coming OF her nest.
Seeing us running up, she put for the wa
ter at once. Having been instructed, the
ord. Running alongside of the loggerhead,
xr,n oni1nl hon A3cparo and xwikh a u,,IIoD
raise and push Topped the big turtle over
ON her back. She lay there Topping her
flippers ~furiously and e~ndeavoring to turn
herself over, but in vain. But o short dis
lance further on another was encountered.
We tried the same tactics, but it being u
tremendous big fellow we couldn't over
turn It. We raised one side up but the.
old turtle only made her other ripper fly
the faster and carried us right along. The
veteran came running, and the ladies, too,
gave us a lift, and finally with a big heave
we turned her over. But the veteran got
caught this time, for he overbalanced him
self, and as the turtle fell over he sprawled
over on her. Two fips of her powerful
flippsrs, and the veteran landed in the sand
head first. He arose unhurt, but rather
injured in his dignity.
For the next half hour the fun waxed
furious. Loggerheads were pjnntiful, and
we secured - %whopping big enc The
only excitement we had was when the cap
tain's wife run after what she thought was
Il big turtle on its nest, but which proved
to be, as she came Upon it, q big black bear
feasting on turtle eggs. The screams that
us started us in a run to her assis-
lance, while the bear, with one startled
look. ambled off with a rush and disap- |
peared in the palmetto scrub.
We were all we'll tired by this time and
to go home. The horses were
brought down, and four of the biggest tur-
ties, with a deal of trouble, rolled in. The
others were turned over, and the way they
scudded for the water was a caution.
Those we secured were weighed in the
morning after reaching homo and turned
the scales at 800, $50, 46s and 700 pounds
each. Over 200 eggs were secured, SO that
we Toasted high for the next few days.