The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
EVICTED BY FLOOD.
HOME OF bird and BEAST IN
FADED BY THE MISSISSIPPI.

VI " tth W " Nun WI - "
IsIot -Misndyenture Of Various animals.
MEMPHIS, March 27.-Whcn the overlooking
tide OF the Mississippi River poured In on the
low Arkansas lands west OF Memphis. IL invaded
what is perhaps the finest hunting ground that
remains cast Of the Rocky Mountains. and while
tho stories Of the rescue Of human liveB over tho
vast stretch of inundated country would suffice
to I'LL n large hook, there are innumerablo other
stories pertaining to tho experiences Of tho
foGthcrcd- md tho furry tribes that live In the
Businesses row submerged. The woods OF the
ST. Francis basin arc inhabited by no end OF deer,
not II few bcars. n rood many %punthcrs and othor
animals which the hunter pursucs for their
meat or the excitement Of the chase. Wild tur.
keys also abound. Ducks are 80 common that
IN good seasons ~ hunter scarcely notices them.
For the ducks II food has no terror. Tho tur-
keys, however, sCcm TO have II natural NEins for
the country between the Mississippi River and
Crowlcy's Ridge, aud to view the invasion OF tho
territory by the waters of the turbulent stream
aiuch ns u human being regards .hc same vista
eon paid TO his own hGbitati0n.
rrow!cy's Ridge is the name given to the limo
oil upland that follows n course parallel with the
river some forty miles inland. 1t is tho first
high ground encountered when travelling vest
ward from Memphis, and 1t mnrks tho limit OF
the annual overflow. All the intervening terri
tory is q swainpy forest seldom penetrated by
man. The ground is too marshy to furnish u
footpath, and yet there is not enough water in
ordinary seasons to afford passage for even q
light dugout. Hero tho animals breed and rear
their young. safe from the rifle of the hunter eX-
cept when they venture near the cloarings that
are gradually cncroaChing upon the forest soil
tudc. Since the water has been SO high through
all this country many expeditions have passed
through 1t, looking for adventures, which they
have certainly encountered.
The wild turkeys prefer the ground for their
perch, and as tho flood has gradually covered
the land they have moved on reluctantly, and
thousands of them IRE now waiting for tho sub
sidencc of the water that they may return to
their homes. The season for egg laying has not
yet como to the turkeys. SO the flood will not in
jure the crop for this year. The birds on the
ridge are so terrified as to be continually in Il
sort of stupor, and men can kill them with q
ub bv tho hundred If so inclined. Neverthe-
less, that kind OF thing is done very cautiously,
as the Arkansas law for the preservation OF
game is severe, and is enforced zcalously. Elder
Neblett, n negro preacher who lives beyond the
ridge, has ca ptGrcd n drove OF the turkeys, and
will endcavor to domesticnto them.
The bears have all been driven TO tho vicinity
OF the ridge, though they have not been eoncen-
res; OCCASIONALLY when they come to q floating
deer are not so fortunate. They swim The food
Till exhausted and slowly drown. Here and
thrT llEOuSh tic S"uIlip iitl4t spOlS u VI
appear above the face of the flood, and these arc
occupied By frightened deer that retain their
more feroeioas creature. OFTEN BIT Of bog no
larger than II billiard table will hold q dozen
ground and tremblc at the fear OF falling over.
They scent the approach ola bear or panther
Yves Ellington of this city relates how he was
a witness to an encounter of q novel character
on one OF these remote islets near GARRISON. As
he approached a herd of deer silently in mis- dug.
out he observed n commotion in their ranks, and
soon the whole herd leaped into the water and
perceived the cause of the rou:. a brown bear
OF medium size was approaching through the
in the same direction. ieapins from branch to
branch on the trees. The panther was q large
the fugitive deer. but kept on his course till he
was safely cnsconced on the deserted bit of land.
sued the deer for some distance. but SE,N falling i be-
hind In the chase. returned toward the islct.
c- AS IL. the distance dhn : a &C, between zen the. the two ,So az ani "a t, de,
atar. Ordinarily the panther will give the road
TO the bear. but at this time the appetite OF the
feline seemed to have overcome his discretion,
and he leaped over on to the ground from the
nearest tree; the agressor in the affray. The
ceiving his enemy on his back. Then began a
bate on 9 biz OF ground that Afforded no hope
Their used teeth, and claws, tho bear, tactics Of
Of avoidance. hoping 10 land a knockout blow
the marshy nature OF the ground. The panther
was agile and ever on the aggressive. Both
brlteS were before long covered with blood that
Issued from wounds made by their claws. How
the battle would have ended no one can tell.
lon took a hand h himself as Es'I He HE'D fTod. NH" mi9sd n,ii and
when the SMOKE cleared both the animals had
disappeared in the way they had come,
far from Blacklist Bayou, had an. adventure
witha bear on sunday. Toward night h. found
dangerous for lin to remain longer. He TOOL;
his wiic and child in y dmgout through the
Rock Railroad tracks, where he lcrt them. Then
he returned home 10 get . couple OF shoats no
was dark, though moonlight, when he got there:
lie climbed the fence OF the irc'osurc and called
II him. ms He e0& Thought q aD iho 0 sfSsis en mass '0T hare
grown very rapidly. The object son.
a fsW feet Get d Gihi,f%a'fP from "p bin T IL Seemed Main IN
rise upon It's feet. Then i gruntol. The negro
was no Iongor in doubt. 1t was a bear that had
same, after having eaten its former occupants.
But the negro evcned things up. He was too
Coming back h" shot and killed the bcur. and
the relief, toats ecnt out into the ovcrttowcd
country, he Eoasted That he not only saved his
PORK, hut had got IA lot Of hear meat to boot.
Some Of the rcscues of people and 1.-Two stool;
that have tccn accomplished by the volunteers
from this city haze been remarkable. More than
$500 refugees have been brought TO this city.
have resulted from tho food. but many OF tho
G eicai haze h Ein maTIow' John Franklin, ex,
upon "a ncgrcsS lud god against IA cottonwood
tree. Unconscious though she was, she was
c%iing!ng with q death grip io, an ironing hoard.
She was carried Ia n relief boat and soon re.
covered. Sac gaid that she had tioatcd of from
home ON the ironing board, and had left twO
children In the cabin. A skiR was sent to tho
cabin and the children were Lrought or. after
having boen three days without food nnd all that
time a~lGaCing up 10 their thighs in water.
The spectacle OF people and animals rcosting
on the roofs OF houses became so common carly
I'm the hood as TO cease TO excite "ommcnt At
ono place on Presidents Island II high wave
landed u mule Wy In the branches OF "A Tree, and
tho steamer liarhin, which went down that way
on q trip of relic, had 10 arrange Il block and
pulley in one Of taG higher limbs OF the tree in
order to get tho animal out. Bon Luttrcll, whose
cnoin Is some five miles In the interior, twenty.
I'VE miles above here. moving his family TO tho
steamboat landing; Place AT Old River, brought
along with HIN u barre! OF -four that he had laid
IN early in the season. Al tho landing place he
was lodged In a cabin with several other negroes,
and then the -four barrel was preached. In.
stead o. finding flour inside n long trail OF POI.
sononiis cottonmonth mnoccasins emerged .pon
the floor OF the cabin. The negroes pushed from
the room and threw themselves into tho water,