National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-08-15
Shark Fishing.
The Occupation Of the Iceisndcrs o
Curing sharks Meat.

Curing sharks Meat.
The Icelanders take no active part in
the whale fishery, but devote them
selves ns n rule to that of shark and cod.
They fish principally from light, open
boats. with projecting prows, and ear
ryug only one small lug-sail. Row
boats are preferred, on account OF the
number of hands required, The lee
landic fishermen are described rs pos
sessing power of endurance,n an ability
to keep the sea in all weathers, and
II courage above all praise; they scorn
to take provisions of any kind to sea,
though they never neglect to carry
their snuff horns, II is greatly to be
deplored that these hardy mariners are
SO careless. both as to their personal
comfort and rs to the seaworthiness
of their craft, since TO these faults may
doubtless be traced the fact that forty
per cent of the deaths of the men are
caused by drowning. The shark, which
is Indigenous TO the Icelandic and Nor
weigian coasts, though seldom taken in
the Cattegat, is the symnus micro
cepaius. To the natives it is known Ms
the nakarnl" or "havkalen. 1t
length, and lives on seals and fish, dar-
ing, in its most voracious moods, to
attack the whl'' itself, but seldom
molesting man unless disturbed by
him. 1t is taken with comparative ease,
as, owing to its dimness of sight, caused
probably by the ierncep0da etOngato, a
small parasite which adheres to, and
sometimes entirely covers its eye, it
seizes the bait-young seal blubber or
smoked horse flesh soaked in blood, to
which it is evidently attracted by the
sense of smel-without attempting to
escape the weapons of it's captors.
She shark is caught near land during
the month of April but, during the
summer months, 1t is found in as much
as 200 fathoms of water, from 80 to l69
miles from land, and generally off the
Western side of the island. OF late
years the craft used on the North side
of the island are decked vessels of 80 to
40 tons, provided with bars, and so
lightly constructed that in calm weather
they can easily get clear of the ice, and
move from place to place. When
vessel is in search OF sharks, it is
anchored at n place where they are
presumed to be-in preference, near
the rising edge of bank. The anchor
used is generally four-prongsd iron
grapple, weighing about $50 pounds,
with Is to 20 fathoms 9-l6 chain cable,
and $50 fathom long hawser. When
anchored, the fishing commences. If
nothing is caught, the position is shifted
until the shark is found and, if the
take is good, tie vessel remains at the
spot, and rides out the storm, if neces-
sary. The lines used are of the thick
ness of deep-sea log-lines, taste ed to
three fathoms of chain, in the middle
of which a leaden weight of 10 to Is
six-inch hook is fastened the entire
hook is covered with bait, and it is
notched inside the bend to prevent
the latter from slipping down. ~ When
the shark is hauled up to the surface, 1t
is killed by means of a spear. A har-
poon is then fixed in it, and the rope
made fast to the ships side after
which the carcass is ripped mp by
knife, affixed to n pole, and the liver Is
taken out and placed in barrels, and
slowed away in the hold.
The value of carcass is about Is. cd.
The flesh is sold to peasants, who bury
it in the ground for two or three weeks,
and then disenter it, wash it, and cut 1t
up into strips and hang it in the drying
house. After one years drying 1t is
considered fit for food. The flesh has
then assumed clear, reddish yellow
color, which gives it something the
appearance of salmon, so far as the eye
is concerned, but certainly not for the
nose, for its appearance in room is
very preceptible. How preceptible 1T
must be i'll the case of ten year old
shark flesh, which we are further in
formed is accounted delicacy among
native connoisseurs, we must leave to
the imagination and olfactory nerves OF
our readers to conjecture. The gall of
the shark is used instead of soup. The
skin is also turned t. good account
after being stretched on the ground
and dried, it is used as shoe leather,
though it is not susceptible of being
polished. A shark of moderate size
Yields two-thirds of barrel of oil
(reckoning a barrel at about 14Oquarts),
which is extracted by boiling the liver
A first boiling gives the light train oil,
second the darker or common oil
The barrels of liver give about two
barrels of oil, and, in calm weather,
one small open boat, if fortunate, may
secure about fifteen barrels of liver in a
couple of days. In Sweden and Ger
many, where train oil is much used
in tanneries, it fetches from 55s to Us
per barrel. The Norwegians, it would
appear, are the only foreigners who
have engaged in the Icelandic shark
fishery, and Mr.. Grove holds out much
encouragement to any British adven-
turers who may feel disposed to try
their fortune in this direction. Nautical