The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-25
MAN THE BEST SWIMMER.
Has Greater Powers in That Direc-
ton Than Animals.
From Longman's Magazine.

From LsOngman'S Magazine.
Everybody knows how much dogs
differ in their ability as swimmers, re-
trievers and water spaniels being the
water dogs par-excellence. A Russian
retriever which / once owned was re-
nfarkable as a water dog, preferrinS
the sea to fresh water for his bath.
He often swan so far out that l lost
sight of him and could not find him,
even through a glass. He must have
gone at least two or thre miles straight
out to sea, and several times l gave
i'm hup1yaR'H p AoR?Coupoj ,.:;;!;i
him up for lost. He always. however,
came straight back to the spot where
he started.
The liking of this dog for tallow
was so great that he would eat all the
candles he could find in the house,
searching the bedrooms for them. He
often took them when lighted from the
tables, and he was so fierce that no
body dared interfere with him unless
his master was at hand.
There is the same difference regard
ing liking for the water among wild
animals of the dog kind as there is
among the domestic animals. Wolves,
though they can swim tolerably well.
never care to enter the water except
to escape pursuit. They will not en-
ter it after their prey. as dogs do, but
will gallop around a lake or pond to
meet the escaping victim. If the quar-
~ cross river the wolves at once
give up the chase.
Some heavy animals. which can swim
after fashion, will drown as they float
If their fur is completely saturated.
This is the case with rabbits and many
of the house tribe. The common mouse
and the field mouse can only swim a
few yards. They drown in the act of
swimming.
Jaguars Love Water.
The same is true of the rabbit and
most (perhaps alb small cats, though
lions and tigers swim we'll and often
cross large rivers, as do the large cats
OF America-that is, the puma and the
jaguar. The latter deserve the name
of the water cat, for it habitually
haunts large rivers and lakes and, con-
trary to the habits of all other cats,
seems to love the water. None of the
American small cats ever voluntarily
enters the water, but they fish from
the banks Of streams and from partly
submerged roots, etc, clawing the fish
out as they swim past
Though the rabbit cannot swim and
avoids damp situations, the hare, as
is generally known, swims we'll, and
so, indeed, do the great majority of
mammals.
All deer are expert and most grace
full swimmers. and in this they are
equaled by the horse, which can swim
for miles without becoming exhausted.
Horses have been known to cross the
Niagara river from the American to
the Canadian side for the purpose of
returning to their old stables.
1t may be useful TO give a few hints
on crossing over with horses. A
mounted man should slip off behind
and. holding lightly by the animals
tail, permit himself to be towed
across. This method puts the least
strain on the horse and is the safest
for the man. The horse also, should
be permitted to take it's own way. 1t
is remarkable with what strange in
stfTct Cor Is 1t reason?) it will choose
the best landing place on the opposite
bank, avoiding dangerous currents and
quicksands-at any rate, this is my
experience with American horses.
Bears "A Good Swimmer.
With the exception Of aquatic ami
mails the bear is probably the strongest
and best swimmer among mammals. /
have known the American black bear
to swim across small lakes and arms
OF the larger bodies of water a distance
of at least twenty miles with a break,
and though many bears have, no doubt,
reached the Island of Anticosti. In the
Gulf Of st. Lawrence, on ice foes, am
sure others have swan thither from
the mainland, travelling probably in
some instances thirty miles through
the water.
No black bear will go a yard out
Of its way to avoid water, but passes
straight through any river or lake that
Hes in it's way. The grizzly bear is
mostly an inhabitant of dry, rocky
tracts, but even grizzlies often take to
the water for no perceptible cause ex-
cept love Of 1t.
Though the mouse cannot swim far
Their than few yards, the rat Is pow
erful swimmer, and the river that will
bar It's course must not only be broad,
but OF strong current also. Jennings
and other small rodents are also good