The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-25


my Ief. me. for I had not
the least idea that he would attack
me. he was rot over 10 feet from me
and ! could see his eyes and teeth as
he poked his head high above the wa
ter. He looked at me and snapped his
Jaws and then love beneath h sur
face of the water.
Then I started to pull ashore. think
ing / had seen the last OF Mr.. Seal. In
fact. i had almost forgotten him be-
fore 1 had gone 200 feet.
"AIl at once I thought an earthquake
had struck me. My boat was boosted
high in the air at the stern and came
down on the water again with a loud
splash. Almost instantly this was re-
peated and then. before I could real
ize what had happened. I saw the seal
poking his head over the side of the
boat. He was swapping his jaws and
believing like a whole herd of bulls.
His eyes were close to me and ! could
feel his breath as / sat too stunned
with amazement to move. For an In
slant I was powerless. Then I began
to think of the prope way to Kill
seals. / had never had the opportuni-
~ before. but / had hunted enough
to know how to tackle any animal OF
his size n style Of fighting.
Il reached for my revolver. but be-
u n lttAo tod1n IL ~ 6tal SaNt
splash N Topped n the boat, up-
setting IL and throwing me into the
water. i came up again gasping for
breath, and instinctively 1 began 10
fight for my life. / am a fine swim
mer and diver or l would not be here
to-day. 1 made up my mind to swim
ashore IL the seal would leave me
alone. i felt sure I could put a few
role in him IL he interfered. But
Mr.. Seal was BEN on a fight, and lie
made at me. I pulled my evolver and
hot him in the neck. but he only bel
lowed n came at me with gaping
jaws. When 10 feet away he made
a div and came up just behind me,
seizing me by the shirt. just back of
the left shoulder. Fortunately, he did
not get a hold of any of my bones.
Down the big fellow went, taking
me with him as easily as IL / We're a
shrimp. 1 had kept my yes open and
could look up through he blue water
and see the sun cleaning through. All
at once we touched bottom. ] wonder
ed il the seal intended to hold me
| there until / was drowned. I made up
my mind to hold my breath as long
as possible. 1t seems now as IL 1t
must have been ages, but / suppose
1t was only a few moments. Then.
to my surprise. the seal came to the
top. when 1 took in a good. long
breath before 1 thought of anything
else.
Then / saw what was the matter
with the seal. TIL blood Vas flowing
in a stream from the wound in his
neck. Evidently my first bullet had
interfered with his breathing apparat-
us. This gave me hope. and instinct
lively / took a firmer hold on my re-
| volver and was glad that IL vas a Colt
A, and hoped the water would not
hurt the cartridges. L now felt that
| had a show. After a m down
we went again. but this time l had
my senses about me and began punch
ing my antagonist in the neck with the
muzzle of my revolver. He did not
| expect this. or like it. either. for he
let go his hold and / shot up to the
surface. He followed and grabbed me
again. This time, however, he grab
bed my shirt under the left arm, leav-
ing my right free and in a position
where ] could use ii.
There was another short dive, anu
when we came to the top again l
watched for my chance. / was in
hopes that the seal would drop me.
but he didn't He only took a firmer
grip. drew in a longer breath and
seemed to have made up his mind to
go below again. Blu / stopped him
short. | put the revolve close to
where thought the SEALS ear ought
to be. Then, before | could pull the
trigger we both rolled over in the wa
ter again and | got a mouthfui or
brine that pretty nearly choked me.
Again my chance came, and when my
revolver cracked IL almost deafened
me. But the seal let go his old and
rolled over in the water like a log.
In a m he sank to the bottom,
and was safe. except for the Tact
that / was several hundred feet from
shore and quite tired from my duck
ing. But ] managed to get ashore
somehow."-Sa Francisco Letter to
the Cincinnati Enquirer.