The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-26
FOOLED BY A TURTLE.
An Civil That Made the Mistake Of
It's Life and Was Captured.
From the St. Louis Glo5e Democrat.


From the st. Louis Glo5e Democrat.
A few days ago ]. F. Paford and a
party of friends went to the Big Sandy, a
large, sluggish stream in Benton county,
Tennessee, on a fishing excursion. They
carried a wagon, tent and the usual camp
equipage. The river is full of logs and
brush, and cannot be seined readily, and
it abounds in very fine fish of every va
riety found in that section, and especially
in the Tennessee, Of which ii is a tribu-
tary. Friday night Pa ford was sitting
sleepily on the bank. about 100 Yards be-
low the campfire. watching his lines. The
noon cast silver light on the placid
stream. made brighter by the foliage on
either bank Opposite to where he lay,
about fifty yards distant, large tree had
fallen into the water. On the body Of
this the turtle would laZily watch the
maneuvers of the fishermen when not
otherwise engaged in stealing their bait
An old fellow, probably a foot in diane
ter, had crawled up on the log, prepared
to spend the night, when suddenly a large
owl lit on a limb that projected from the
trunk Just above the turtle. The latter
slipped noiselessly into the water. His
owlship merely turned his head, keeping
his position.
After a few moments the turtle re-
turned. The owl watched him fully FIVE
minutes, and then commenced edging his
way down the limb The movement
could not be detected except by locating
the position with some fixed object be-
yond. Presently it came TO the body of
the tree, and then commenced moving
sideways by the same slow motion toward
the turtle. whose side is soon reached
The turtle drew out is long neck to the
uttermost, took look at its owlship, and
resumed its previous position of rest
The owl resumed his side movement.
forcing the turtle slowly up the log. The
turtle would move two or three inches at
a time and settle down. The owl ap-
preached slowly until its body came in
costact with that of the turtle, when the
latter would move again.
This was continued until the owl had
pushed the turtle about four feet and to
the end of the log. which was above the
water about four feet. The object of the
owl was evidently to force the turtle to
drop TO the water, and as it descended TO
grab and carry him off as he wont to do
with chicken on the roost. At the end
of the log the turtle manifested a disposi-
tion to remain where ii was, and turned
Itself around with its head facing the
owl. The latter raised its wings Just a
little and let them down suddenly, but the
turtle didn't frighten worth a cent. Pres
entity the owl outstretched its monstrous
wings over the turtle. In d second there
was a scream of pain from the owl The
bird arose from the log to the hight of
thirty feet, then darted across the stream,
striking the ground with d thud that was
heard fifty yards above. Pofford rushed
TO the spot and caught them. The turtle
had seized him by the wing, close to the
body, and held it with tenacity worthy
of bulldog. The turtle measured eleven
inches across the back and the owl three
feet from tip to tip. The latter was of
the horned YarietV