The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-01-09
Shark. Fishing in Iceland.

"The Icelanders," says the National
Wagd2iHe, take no active part in the
whale fishery, but devote themselves,
as a rule, to that of shark and cod.
They fish principally from light open
boats, with projecting prows, and carry
ing only one small lugsail. Row-boats
are preferred on account of the number
of hands required. The Icelandic fish
ermen 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 any kind to sea, though
they never neglect to carry their snuff
horns. 1t is greatly to be deplored that
these hardy mariners are so careless
both as to their personal comforts and
as 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. When a vessel is in search
of sharks, it is anchored at place
where they are presumed to be---in pre-
ference, near the rising edge of a bank.
The anchor used is generally four
pronged iron grapple, weighing about
$50 pounds, with fifteen to twenty faith
oms nine-sixteen inch iron chain cable,
and 350,fathom long hawser. When
anchored, the fishing commences. If
nothing is caught, the position is shift
ed until the shark is found and if the
take is good, the vessel remains at the
post, and rides out the storm if neces-
sary. The lines used are of the thick
ness of deep-sea headlines, fastened to
three fathOms of chain, in the middle of
which leaden weight of ten pounds to
thirteen pounds is fixed. Under this
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 to the surface it is
killed by means of a long spear. A har-
poon is then fixed in it, and the rope
fastened to the ships side after which
the carcase is ripped up by a knife af-
fixed to pole, and the liver is taken
out and placed in barrels, and slowed
away in the hold. The value of car
case is about rs. 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, and hang it in the drying house.
After one years drying, it is considered
fit for food. The flesh has then assum-
ed clear, reddish-yellow color, which
gives it something of the appearance of
salmon, so far as the eye is concerned,
but certainly not the nose, for its pres
ence in room is very perceptible.
How perceptible it must be in case of
ten-year old shark flesh, which we are
further informed 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
soap. The skin is also turned to good
account after being stretched on the
ground and dried, it is used as shoe
leather, though it is not susceptible of
polish. A shark of moderate size yields
two-thirds of barrel of oil, (reckoning
barrel at about 140 quarts, which is
extracted by boiling the liver A first
boiling gives the light train-oil sec
ond, 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, may secure about
fifteen barrels of liver in a couple of
days. In Sweden and Germany, where
the train-oil is much used in tanneries,
it fetches from 55 shillings to 125 shil-
lings per barrel.