American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-05-11
A True Shark Story.

1t may not be generally known that
in that playful marine acrobat, the pur-
poise, the shark possesses an implaca-
BILE enemy that will permit no intru-
sion on its feeding grounds. The writ
er first learned this fact from two old and
experienced fishermen when out on a
fishing excursion, one lovely August
day, off Squan Beach, New Jersey. 1t
came out in the course of story, which
is here given as it was told in the boat.
The fishermen were serious and quiet
men, watchful and ready, and 1 noticed
that they not only used no profane ex-
pressions themselves, but appeared to
be annoyed and distressed at the occa-
sional strong explosives that escaped me
under the exasperating excitement of
losing a fine fish from the hook after
hauling it to the surface. Somewhat
surprised at demeanor 1 had not been
accustomed to in "toilers of the sea-
asked them at last if any thing was the
matter. They replied, very respectfully,
that being religious men and members
of the Methodist Church, they felt pain
ed by every thing approaching the sin
of profanity, and that if / would listen
they would tell me of their remarkable
deliverance from death, which resulted
in their conversion. 1t was as follows:
"Some ten years ago we were hard
drinkers, swearers, wild surfmen, and
fishermen. We never entered church,
and cared neither for God nor devil.
son fine Sunday morning in Aug
ust, 1867, we started at daylight for this
very reef of rocks. With plenty of bait,
we looked for four or five hundred
weight of sea- bass, founders, and black
fish. At first we pulled them up as fast
as our lines touched bottom; then we
had not single bite. Surprised, we
stood up and looked around, prepara-
tory to changing our ground. To our
establishment the water was alive with
sharks. We commenced pulling up our
anchor, when a.savage fish rushed to the
bow of the boat and bit the rope in two.
Then we hoisted sail, but the moment
we put the steering oar in the water
several sharks began biting it in pieces.
So we were compelled to take in sail,
and drift We were in the midst of a
school of sharks two miles long and half
mile broad. They were of all sizes,
from six feet long to twelve or
fourteen. They swarmed around
our boat, and dashed it one
third full of water with their tails. We
had to bail, one with his hat, and the
other with the bait-pail. Every moment
some big fellow would put his nose al
most on our gunwale, while his yellow
tiger eyes glared ferociously at our pale
faces. One shark dashed at the boat
and seized one of the side planks, and
almost shook us out of our seats. For
tunately his teeth broke off, and away
he went with bleeding jaw. In a mo-
ment he was torn in pieces and deyour-
ed. Then the school turned toward us
again.
ave were in despair, and never ex-
pected to see shore. We could not sail,
we could not row, and were drifting out
to sea. Finally, Charley said, Bill, we
are in an awful muss. Let us see if
God will help u.s. We kne.t down, and
[ prayed for help, confessed our sins,
and promised amendment and repent
ance. We had hardly finished before
we saw great school of porpoises. They
hurled themselves out of the water,
jumping 20 feet at a bound. Soon we
were in the midst of them. The shark
started out to sea, but the porpoisec
were too quick. They bit and tore the
sharks fearfully. Sometimes three por
poises would have hold of one shark
Then they jumped out of the water and
fell heavily on these tigers of the ocean.
The fight continued for miles, and we
were saved. We rowed safely to shore,
and became professors of religion; gave
up drinking, swearing, and all vices.
We have great respect for proposes,
and believe that if they were not so
plentiful, New Jersey shore would
swarm with sharks, and then good-by
to fishing and bathing. "-Harper's
HeeklY