58 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. 
rode directly over a large rattlesnake which coiled and rattled, but 
did not offer to strike the horse as he stepped over it. I dismounted 
and shot its head to pieces with a rifle bullet; first taking several 
snap photographs of it, holding the kodak as close to its ugly head 
as I dared as it lav there rattling and ready to strike. It was a 
thick, heavy snake, although not a very long one, measuring five 
feet, nine inches. It had nine rattles and a button.* 
Upon reaching the water holes I found one of them dry, but there 
was water in the other and a large bear had visited it within a few 
hours. His tracks were very plain and fresh in the soft mud and 
sand about the hole. 
The dogs got away well together, Trip and Tige leading, followed 
by Brown and the others. Several of my dogs will run a bear well 
for a short distance, but will not fight or bring him ‘to bay” by 
biting and snapping at his legs. Trip will follow a bear all day and 
bay him alone at times, and this was the case to-day. The dogs 
jumped the bear within ten minutes after being started, and he ran 
for about two miles to the north, Quarterman and I following along 
the marsh and keeping within hearing of the dogs and Gale. Gale’s 
yells to encourage the dogs could be heard when we could not hear 
the hounds. Soon after the bear turned to the southeast and we 
could hear nothing of the dogs or Gale. 
Quarterman rode further north, while I galloped south to an old 
trail through the scrub, on the chance that the bear might have gone 
that way. As I reached the trail I heard Trip, and a few minutes 
after saw the bear crossing a ridge about a hundred yards off, where 
the scrub was low and thin. I had a fair chance at him, but just as 
I tired my horse swerved just enough to spoil the shot, and the next 
minute he was off and away in a thicket where no horse could fol- 
low. Pat came up with Tige and Brown, and I put them on the 
fresh trail, which they eagerly took and went off giving tongue finely. 
Shortly after two, or perhaps three, of the dogs ‘* bayed” the bear 
in a small live-oak hummock, but he was off again before I could 
come up with them. It was now getting hot and three hounds came 
* Other photographs of living rattlesnakes will be found under the chapter on Florida snakes. 
