The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-10-26
Sllark-Fishing.

Everybody at all connected with the
sea is always delighted when a shark is
killed. A shark is the great water
enemy of mankind the delightful bathe
is either impossible or bereft OF half its
pleasure when sharks are known to be
near. A boat that is upset causes o
fatal accident in shark-frequented
waters, whereas it might produce only a
ducking under other circumstances.
Thus sailor believes that he who kills
a shark deserves we'll of his country and
companions. The shark dies a craven (;
he affords very little of that sport which
renders trout and salmon-fshing 80 at
tractive; his first rush as he feels him
self hooked is usually powerful enough,
but after that he exhibits little but sui
lenness. A young shark is usually more
vigorous and determined in his resis-
tance than is one of larger growth, and
with these we have had good sport. In
most rivers of tropical countries shark
will be found near the mouths, especially
at high tide, and those who are disposed
for sport only will find ample in such
localities. The plan we adopted was to
procure two pieces of copper wire, twist
these firmly together, and lash hook
on to the end. A stout piece of cord
was then made fast to the wire, and
bladder attached to the cord. About
hundred and fifty yards of cord were
coiled up on the bank in order to play
the hooked fish, piece of meat was
then fastened on the hook, and the bait
flung out seaward. The hands for this
work ought to be protected by a stout
pair of leather or India-rubber gloves,
so that check may be given to the
cord as the fish runs out with it.
Having made our preparations in this
way, we cast our line, and had scarcely
secured the end than we saw the bladder
that indicated the position of our hook
and bait travel rapidly up stream, bob
under water, and again appear. A rapid
tug at the cord was resisted, and I'm
mediately afterward the line flew
through our hands, nearly hundred
yards being paid out without check.
Then we, however, obtained pull at
our captive, and brought him near the
shore, sighted him, and saw he was a
shark about four feet long. When the
young cannibal saw us, he struggled
hard to escape, but his ravenous appetite
had been his ruin, as the hook was deep
ly buried in his throat, and in ten min
utes from the time of his being hooked,
he was dragged swapping and wriggling
on to dry land.
On more than one occasion, however,
the fish we thus hooked was 90 much
for us, and carried out and off the whole
of our line, and had we not resigned
the end, we ourselves would have been
dragged into the sea, our efforts being
feeble in comparison to the power of
the monster who had swallowed our
bait, and was equally capable, apparent
ly, of swallowing US. ~
Numerous are the tragedies that have
taken place with the shark. One or
two we will refer to:
A party of soldiers were bathing near
the shore on one of the Mediterranean
stations, where sharks are usually con-
sidered harmless. Above hundred
men were in the water together, some
far out, others close in shore, when the
alarm was given that shark was ap-
preaching. Scarcely had the note of
warning been given, than the shark,
passing by score or more of men,
seized one who was quite near the shore,
dragged him under water, and disap-
peared with him the shouts, frantic
beatings of the water, ETC., of the men
being of no avail to make the monster
give up his prey.
A shark had for several days been
seen following ship, but no attempt
had been made to capture it. A ships
boy, however, determined to have
trial, and having prepared his hook and
line, clambered into the ships chains,
in order to throw out his bait. Un-
fortunately, the jerk caused by throwing
overbalanced the boy, who fell into the
sea. A rush was made aft, and a rope
cast toward the lad, who was, as is
usual with sailors, able to swim. The
effort failed to save him, and in another
second he was approached by the sea-
monster, which, slightly turning its
head, seized the boy and dragged him
under water, disappearing from the
sight of those on deck, and of those who
entered the boat in order to revenge
his death.
We ourselves were once in a very un-
pleasant proximity to q shark. We
were in the habit of bathing every
morning soon after sunrise, and had ar
ranged long plank on piles, as sort
of spring-bo Having started along
this plank, as usual, and reached nearly
the end. our balance having been lost.
we cast our eyes down, and there be-
meath US, not five feet under water, was
a shark double our own length. With
IL Il IL. l.. e.
times of danger, we at once felt that the
safest plan was to jump at the shark
rather than try to avoid him, and thus
we directed our plunge at him. We
had to swim some forty yards to regain
the shore, and this was indeed trying
work but the shark had made off, and
we lived to tell the tale-he probably
being alarmed at the attack threatened
by our plunge at him.