The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-01-04
Tbe Sportsman.
From Turf, Field and Farm
Shark Fishing on the Florida Reef


No place on our coast is so well adapted
for the above exciting sport as that portion
of the Florida reef known as Dry Tortu-
gas, and rendered so famous during the
war as military prison. Here on the
edge of the great Gulf Stream they roam
up and down, forming quite as good senti-
nels as the soldiers that are hid by the
grim walls of the old fort. The white and
leopard sharks predominate, and they arc
often found, ON examination, to exceed
seventeen feet in length, and / was told
by gentleman in Nassau that one cap
tured there measured 1Sl feet, and the
jaw when taken out, was "large enough to
encircle three men, Horrible tales are
told by the natives of their love for blood
and extreme ferocity when hungry. A
few years ago, just North of Key West,
ono of these horrible scenes was enacted.
A small smack was lying on the edge of
the channel, and, by some accident, one of
the men fell over the stern into the water.
The crew rushed for ropes, and in a few
minutes he was hanging over the side
above the water. But before the men
could pull him aboard, huge shark threw
itself from the water and bore him down
before the faces of the whole crew. The
smell Of blood that crimsoned the water
brought others, and soon no less than fifteen
sharks were fighting over the fearful
repast' Commerson tells similar story.
''The corpse of negro had been suspen-
ded from a yard-arm twenty feet above the
level Of the sea. A shark was seen to
make many efforts to reach the body, and
it finally succeeded in seizing it, member
by member, undisturbed by the cries of
the horror-stricken crew assembled on deck
to witness the strange spectacle" This
brute certainly has our respect, inasmuch
as he is always allowed the right of way
when met in the water. In certain por-
tions of Africa the natives not only respect,
but worship the brute. They call it their
"Joujou,' and consider its throat the sure
way to Heaven. Two or three times during
the year, offerings, in the shape of young
child, are made to the animal, and Freguir
says; "They all move their boats to the
middle of the river, where they invoke,
with the strangest ceremonies, the protec-
ton of the great shark. They offer to him
poultry and goats, in order to satisfy his
sacred appetite. But this is nothing. An
infant is every year sacrificed to the monster,
which has been reared for the purpose
from its birth to the age Of ten On the
day of the .tete it is bound to a post on a
sandy point, at low water, as the tide rises.
The child may utter cries of horror; but it
is abandoned to the waves, and the sharks
arrive. The mother is not far off; perhaps
she weeps. But she dries her tears, and
thinks that her child has entered Heaven
through this horrible gate"
Some sharks often exceed thirty-fve feet
in length, but they are harmless, and are
well known by the name Of Bowe sharks.
Among my many excursions for these
monsters on the reef, shall never forget
one that came uncomfortably near adding
to the long list of shark stories now extant.
An old sailor, well known on the reef as
"Busby," and delicate prisoner, weigh
ing two hundred and twenty pounds, and
familiary dubbed "Fat Charley" were
always my companions, and they certainly
were artists in their line.
on the morning in question the boat
was brought out, the line and hook hove
in, large piece of meat and a bucket of
blood followed, and we were ready.
."Tumble in!" yelled Busby. In we
jumped, and in few moments we're cut
ting through the water in the direction of
Nor'west channel. In about an hour we
arrived at the fishing ground. The boat
was pulled to the edge of the channel and
anchored to the coral by long pole that
could be cast off at a moments notice.
"We're in luck to-day said Busby, as
he pointed to large fin cutting the water
in our wake, at the same time discovering
about his person a strangelooking bottle,
labelled "zozodont," and passing it to
Charley, whose molars were evidently in
fearful state, judging from the dose he
took. To say that Busby was afraid of
shark would do him an injustice; he was
merely nervous, as he said lest ,ce (mean-
ing Charley and myself should get caught
in the rope, &c. Hence his fortifcation.
During this by-play, l baited the hook,
dipped it in the blood, and threw il into
the water, and then poured the blood over
-an attraction that sharks cannot resist.
The rope held in a notch at the bow.
Fat Charley sat in the center to preserve
our equilibrium, and Busby stood up on
the stern, the tiller between his legs, look
ing for fins. We did not have to wait
long. The blood did its duty, and the
sharp scythe-like fms were soon seen cleav-
ing the water all around us. Soon the
lines commenced to twitch as if crab was
nibbling at it, and then to slowly run out.
The pole was pulled up, and everything
was ready. We let the line run about
twenty feet then held il until it was taut
and with all our force jerked the hook into
him. A jerk that nearly pulled us out Of
the boat, and sent Busby, who had forgot
ten to sit down, head and heels down
among the seats, was the result We soon
rallied, however, and the boat was tearing
through the water, bow almost under, at
| rate that showed that the shark was No