Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-09-28
NEso TERRITORY WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER m
SHARK FISHING.

SHARK FISHING.
SHARK FISHING is an amusement
which is sometimes practiced on our
coast, but is confined, we believe, to a
few amateurs. A large hook is provi-
ded, about foot in length, and baited
with blackfsh, the skin of which is
strippedsof, in order that the whiteness
NAV attract the notice of the shark. To
the hook is fastened an iron chain, a.
bout three feet long, and to the end of
this IS attached the line. The bait is
let down in the water to the depth of a.
bout twelve feet. If the fish is near,
he seizes it, with all the greediness Of
a modern monopolist, and darts away
with it. The person holding the line,
suffers himto run rod or two with
the hook, and then pulls it back with a
strong and sudden jerk, in order to fas-
ten it in the huge mouth of the crea-
ture. He is then pulled up to the boat
where his head is brought firmly a.
gainst the gunwale, and another person
standing nearwith club, belabors him
on the head until he is lifeless, and he
is then drawn into the bottom of the
boat. The strength, and violent strug-
giles, and loud blowing Of the shark, to-
gether with the idea of destroying a
creature so dangerous to man, make
the sport exceedingly animated and ex-
citing.
A party from this city were landed
the other day from the steamboat Lex
ington at Faulkner's Island, for the pur-
pose ofenjoying disbursement. Faulk-
ner's Island, situated off Guilford point,
as our readers doubtless know, belongs
to the United States; and its four acres
ofland, rising about forty feet above
the water, are crowned with light
house kept by Mr.. Kimberly, an obli-
ging, friendly man, who received his
visiters with much hospitality. They
were taken in fsboat to Goose Island, be-
longing to MIR. Kimberly, lying at the
distance Of mile, with about quarter
of an acre of coarse vegetation upon it,,
among which myriads Of gulls make
their nests. On the approach of a
strange boat, these birds rise in cloud
which fairly darkens the sky, wheeling
about IN circles and filling the air with
their screams. They are never suffer-
ed to be shot on account of their use to
such as navigate the sound in foggy
weather, when their screaming, or the
flight Of such of them as happento come
in sight, serves to indicate the place Of
the island they inhabit The boat was
anchored of Goose Island, the bats
were prepared and dropped into the
water, and as it fortunately happened
that shoal of sharks were near the
spot, the sport was pursued with the
greatest success. In the course Of an
hour and half, six of these large ami
mails, from FIVE to seven feet in length,
were caught, despatched, and hauled
into the boat, amidst their fierce strug-
giles, the splashing of the water, and
their strong breathing, which almost a
mounted to believing. One of them,
when brought up to the gunwale of the
boat, made sudden leap, and threw
his whole length into the bottom of the
boat, knocking down and OVERLAPPING
some of the party, and striking the
leg of one of them with his tail so vio-
!ently as almost to break the limb. A.
bout twelve others were hooked, but
broke away. The sharks seem to en-
Joy the sport almost as much as those
who were engaged in catching them.
They came around the boat in great
numbers, and seemed eagerly to wait
their turn Of taking the bait.
Alta place called East Bank, about a
mile and half to the east of Faulkner s
Island, where the water is deeper than
near the shore of Goose Island, sharks
of larger size are often caught. One
of the party, few years since, hooked
in this place, shark twelve feet long,
which dragged hisboatfor the distance
of half amile. Another boat coming
up to his assistance, the enormous crea-
ture was hauled up, despatched, and
brought to land.-M T. Eue. Post.
NAruRE.-The volume of nature is
fraught with beauty, and presents va
riety of objects calculated to crafty
and instruct those who peruse its pa
ges. 1t is catalogue Of wonders and
an intellectual feast to the contempla-
tive mind. The very faculties Of man
are expanded by view of the stupen-
dous facts it exhibits. In the works of
nature every department is stamped
with perfection. Utility and elegance
are combined in all her operations: no.
thing unseemly or superAuous is found