Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-31
shark EisI,ing In Iceland.

"The Icelanders," says the Nautical Magazine,
take no active part in the whale fishery, but
devote themselves, as rule, TO that OF the shark
aud cod. They fish principally from light open
boats, with projecting prows, and carving only
one small lug sail Row boats are preferred on
account of the number of hands required. The
Icelan lie Fl hermen are described as possessing
a power of endurance, an ability TO keep the sea
in all weathers, and courage above all praise;
they scorn TO take provisions of anv kind TO sea-
though they never neglect TO carry their snuff
horns. 1t is greatly TO be depl0red that these
hardy mariners are so careless both as TO their
personal comfort and as to the seaworthiness OF
their craft, since 10 these faults may dountless
be traced the fact that forty per cent of the
deaths of the men are caused by drowning.
When vessel is in search of sharks it is an
chored at a place where they are presumed to
be-in preference, near the rising edge OF a
bank. The anchor used is generally a four
prunged IRON graphic, weighing about lS0
pounds, with fifteen TO twenty fathoms nine
sixteenth inch iron chain cable and $50 athOm
long hawser When anchored the fishing COM
mences. II nothing is caught, the position IS
shifted until the shark is found; and il the take
is good, the vessel remains at the sroi, and
rides out the storm if necessary The lines used
are OF the thickness of deep sea lead lines,
fastened TO three fathoms of chain, in the middle
OF which a leaden weight of ten pounds TO thir-
teen pounds is fixed Under this a strong six
inch hook is fastened; the entire hook is covered
with bait and it is notched inside the bend to
prevent the latter slipping down. When the
shark is hauled up 10 the surface it is killed by
means of a long spear. A harpoon is then fixed
in it, and the rope made fast 10 the ships side,
after which the carcase is ripped up by knife
affixed 10 pole, and the liver is taken out and
placed in barrels, and slowed away in the hold
The value of carcase on shore is about Is. Cd
The flesh is sold to the peasants, who bury it in
the ground for two or three weeks, and then
disinter it, wash it, and cut it up INTO strips aud
hang it in the drying house. After one year 5
driving it is considered fit for food. The flesh
has then assumed clear, reddish yellow color,
which gives it something of the appearance OF
salmon, so far as the eye is concerned, but Ger
tainly not the nose, for It's presence in room is
very percepube. How percepGhe it must be in
the case Of ten year old shark flesh, which we
are further Informed is accounted a delIcacy
among native connosseurs, we mast leave to
the Imagination and olactory nerves of our
used instead OF soap. The skin is also turned
to good account. After being stretched on the
ground and dried it is used as shoe leather,
though il is not susceptible of being polished
shark of moderate SIZE yields two-thHds OF a
barrel OF oil (reckoning a barrel at about 140
quarts), which is extracted by boiling the liver,
A first boiling gives the light train oil; a second
the darker or common oil. Three barrels of liver
give about two barrels Of oil, and in calm
weather one small open boat, if fortunate, NAV
secure about fifteen barrels Of liver in couple
of days. In Sweden and Germany, where The
train oil is mach used in tanneres, it letches
from 55s. to 125s. per barrel"