THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 



^5 



I have often accompanied Osceola and other Indians on a manatee 

 hunt of this kind. They harpoon them as they rise to the surface, 

 using a steel point barbed on one side, attached to the end of a long 

 pole. To the steel point is fastened a strong cord, which in turn is 

 attached to a float. Upon being struck the manatee sinks at once, 

 but the direction in which he moves is indicated by the float. The 



AITER MANATEE. 



Indians follow the float as closely as possible and watch for him to 

 rise to the surface, when they shoot him through the head, and the 

 huge animal is then towed to the shore. It requires considerable 

 skill as well as strength to drive the harpoon through the thick, 

 tough hide. Many of these animals grow to a very large size, and 

 it is claimed that some of them have been taken which exceeded 

 twelve feet in length. 



One day, while talking with Old Charlie and his squaw at his 

 camp on the north bank of New River, he drew my attention to a 

 long brown object which was moving slowly up the stream a few 



