The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-05-22
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GOSSIP About SHARKS,

l. mly l. wrong know 1t >-tn hate anv
creature which Gul has made. every living
thing ia,ing, it may he supposed its uses in
creation. an'! therefore part Of a General e
r"u"my. " the same time. people cannot
well avoid having their autipa'hir> Some
have nn great affection for rats: lew look with
anything like satisfaction nn snakes and va
ri"u~ other reptiles: il has been nv mi>ior-
tune 10 lI:c sharks. Yes. say it un,li<rrli>-
ed MI crraic,l1 beings. a shark is 10 me
the most ahhorrrnt. Born in the tropics and
living the rlict portion of nv life inst hrvond
their ,rr@r. where hafhinr in the sea was
norc 4 necessity than luxury. | have often
com" INTO contact III various WAYS with this
irnd of the deep Firnd OF the deep. how
ever. is not proper term; it turks also in
shallow sum, spots. where the brilliant white
sand supports apparently Just enough Of cool
water 10 afford bath for troop of nvmph>
or children. In the most retired corner of
such i locality, Just where the tide will allow
of his quick cNit, will the brute lurk. and We
hrtilr the animal which comes within it.
reach. The gro"nd hdri is the most dan
"cr"u> and deadly o: all his deadly tribe; for.
d Il nero oncr sad. "luu never see him till
,ou feel him" In the open sea Won have
some chance for Your life for vour enemy is
visible from the deck OF ship, or even from
small hoat the dcrr-sra shark Swimmin.
high in the water and in calm weather gen
orally showing his dor>al fin above lis snriare.
But the Ground shark. as its name signifies.
lies rr"urhcd below Won. .laring upwards in
all directions as 1t >lrw> itself around: It's
and small chance has living flesh or bone
when opposed to its powerful jaws or numcr-
uli> rows of teeth.
My hatred to this monster dates from 4 very
early period Of my life. When about four or
FIVE wears old, ! was once floating IN 4 tiny
canoe within the reef which circled one of
the islands of the Pacific He who huld me
in his arms babe me look over It's side. and
there, far down, but quite distinct in those
transparent waters. Were several sharks sport
inr over the coral which branched from the
bottom. In their gambolS, they would shoot
up towards the surface; and in turning. the
glancing white belly and the horrid jaws
would suddenly reveal themselves. My child
iSh dreams were long after haunted by that
vision: and perhaps my antipathy thence a
rose. But often since that period have ha,
causc TO shuddcr when even the name Itself
was mentioned: not so much perhaps on my
own account personally. as on that OF Others
who have suffered by them.
myself however. have had some narrow
cScapcS from the scoundrels. | remember
well. when boy at school many wears ago
one Saturday afternoon my father takin" my
self and two brothers ont fishing, not with the
rod and flies. as in this country. but from the
boats side. in five fathoms of blue water
We were in common waterman's boat, such
as was used in the harhor, which. not to he
particular. was in Australia. We anchored
about three or four hundred wards from the
end of small island; and while the water
man and boys f>hcd, the old gentleman put
up his umbrella to keep off til" sun and read
his newspaper. After onr fishing was over.
at about sunset one of my brothers and de-
tcrmncl to Lathc. Ny father did not much
ike the idea: but we assured him there was
no danger, an.l jumped in and swan to the
-lanl: and after running about for Ten min