Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23
SHOOTING SHARKS AND BEARS.
Hunting in the swamps Of Southern
Florida.


From the Miami Metropolis.
E. A. McElroy and myself sailed for Cape
Sable. which is about $50 miles below Miami,
as we sailed 1t. and the most southerly point
of the mainland The route is very Circuit
tous. but one Of interest, while the cham
nels and canals literally swarm with fish,
both large and small. which are easily
taken.
On our second day out. thinking to diver
sify our sport during calm and low
tide, We noticed many large reddish and
shark feeding near mud fiat, and. taking
our two rifles and a skiff, drifted In among
them. The sport began, and was sport
really and truly, until, encouraged by our
repeated ability to perforate the reddish,
large shark near by tempted us. and, letting
the big fellow come within dozen feet of
the boat. we let fly bullet at the top Of
his broad head and another in his back near
the big fin. The result was perhaps as
great a surprise to ourselves as to the
shark: as II q blast of dynamite had ex-
ploded under him the big fellow leaped into
the air. carrying barrels Of water. and the
descent promised to swamp our frail craft.
The shark, apparently stunned and fu-
rious, turned upon his back, made circuit
Of our boat. then-still on his back-darted
straight at us, hitting US amidships and
much surprise to the shark again as to
ourselves for 1t at once righted itself and
made frenzied dash for deeper water.
Reaching it, his great tail fairly whipped
the water into boiling mass. Things were
getting more serious this time than enjoy
able. and we would have gladly backed off
II we had had a fadr wind. but his royal
nfbs was not through.
Another rapid series OF evolutions kept
our craft bobbing around at rate that
drew on all our time and agility to keep in
anfi of loo L
high up on the mud fiat and stranded, very
much to our. relief. We had not lost any
more sharks, our appetite for diversion was
thoroughly satisfied, and, thinking we had
greater longing for dish of fish chowder
we left our victim foundering spasmodically
in the mud and returned to the yacht, fully
determined not to start anything with a
shark again.
In due time. after a fine trip we put into
Flamingo flats, and dropped anchor in front
of the home of Eugene Roberts, one of about
a dozen families who constitute the popula-
ton Of the cape. The next day, after our
arrival Bob bought, nelghbor, came ex-
cdtedly with the information that three
bears were tearing up ant hills on the edge
of the prairie. short distance down the
road. 1t did not take long to get our party
in motion. Mr. Roberts, with his dog, in adj
vance. The bears were there sure enough
and very soon shower of balls was plow-
Ing through their black shaggy skins. A
bear Is not easily killed, and as the grass
was as high as the bears a running fight
began. which carried the party across the
half mile of prairie and into the dense ham
mock.
One bear was killed on the prairie. and
the second, supposed to be disabled was
passed. and pursuit was given TO the largest
one, which seemed very hard to down
Hard pressed by the dog and sorely wound
ed, 1t freed, where with single shot it was
brought down, breaking off a very large
limb as 1t fell. This bear would weigh at
least three hundred pounds. Mr. Roberts
now returned for the mule and wagon and
began gathering up the game, but the bear
supposed to have been disabled had recoy-
cred snfnciently to escape into the ham
mock.
Having now plenty OF meat, our party did
not hunt for deer, which are very numerous
there and can be gotten in sufficient guam
titles to satisfy any reasonable sportsman
We shot only birds after this; ducks and
curlew are there. myriads Of them One of
the party shot fifty-seven ducks In one day,
and could have shot five times as many had
he wanted to.
Among other hunters whom met at the
cape was one or school now almost ex-
tinct. since frontier conditions which created
them have faded into civilization Uncle
Steve Roberts Is one OF these fast vanishing
characters. over sixty years of age small
IN stature. agile as panther. big-hearted,
kind and honest. He has spent every year
Of his life in the wilds of FLORIDA. always
keeping just ahead of advancing civiliza-
ton, finding more music In the weird scream
of the panther and the crack Of his old rifle
than In band concerts and French operas
A very bold catamount had for some time
prior to our visit to the cape been harassing
the neighborhood. and one night during our
stay the varmint visited Mr.. Doughit's house
and killed two of his domestic oats on his
doorsteps. As only had q day or two left
to spend at the cape, asked Uncle Steve
to get me something nice''
He had been awaiting favorable oppor-
tunfty to go on the trail of the bothersome
catamount. and. thinking would appreciate
Its skin l took up the trail in a nearby
swamp. Hunter and hunted came together
30 unexpectedly that both We're SO surprised
that 1t was simply case Of stare Uncle
Steves first move was the signal for the eat
to fiatten out In the grass and worm its
lithe body noiselessly away out of sight
The wary old hunter did not Jump into the
grass after it. 1t was case of wits, and
he simply took another direction. and be-
fore 1t recovered from its surprise the old
hunter had him laid out