West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-07-19
shark Fishing of Jersey.

In the summer of 1878, a wealthy gen
tleman Of New York wished TO secure a
man eating shark, none of which had been
numbered among his CurioSities lie un-
bOSomed himself 20 "A certain medical gen
teman who offered to command an eNpc-
dition 10 the coast of New Jersey to catch
one OF these creatures, aud the offer was
readily accepted. Men, boats and drag
nets were secured, and the expedition pro
Cccdcd TO the Jersey coast near Elizabeth
Lodgings were found among the fishermen
living along the coast Every day the
Doctor and his hearty crew pushed their
boat through the perlous surf, and rowod
out mile OF two from land The nets
were set, and the crew worked patiently
all day. For three days the Doctor and his
men, clad In rough clothing, and wearing
/ big g-brlmcd straw hats, worked i'm the hot
summers sun. Every night they landed in
"A tremendous surf, an operation which was
attended with no little danger. ON the
third day, in the afternoon, their effort
were success. They caught two sharks.
one a little fellow, the other a monster.
lie was more than thirteen feet long. How
he struggled TO get free, The men stood
10y the oars and rowed with might and
main for the shore, the shark pulling i'm
opposite directions. Tho oarsmcn had the
hest of it, however, and after a long and
laborious pull they reached the shore.
First, the boat had To be landed, then the
nets must bc secured to stakes driven into
the sandy beach. The shark had TO be
taken To the city upon n catboat which was
at anchor in the Shrewsbury, half "A mile
distant. The boat could not ne got nearer
and the shark safely put on board, ON ac-
count of the high sea. The Doctor had
supplied himself with boatmans s repairing
iloat, upon which To transport the shark
across the bar To the river The shark was
dangerous felow-a fact which was tho
roughly appreciated by the Doctor and his
crew. lie was then struggling i'm the
mcshes of the nets, making the water ily i'm
every direction. In order 10 get him ashore
the tioat must be showed under him and
pulled in by main strength Ii would be
dangerous TO approach him i'm front, as he
might, with single snap of his mighty
jaws, sever "A mans arm or leg or, in fact,
bite him in two bodily So the nets were
drawn about him and he was slowed
around, his tail pointing inland Then the
men dashed into the surf and pushed the
float under him. lie was thus hauled
ashore, the process being witnessed by "A
multitude of spectators from the country
round about. Finally, the monster lay
high and dry, and the Doctor and his cola
borers paused for rest, the day being very
hot. Then came the most laborous under
taking of all, the pushing of the float across
the strand Rollers were laid upon the
sand, and the float propelled from behind
The immense fish was confined by wooden
spikes placed on either side The Doctor
worked with zcst. lie not only com
manded the movements of the crew, but
put his own shoulder 10 the wheel. Slowly
the unwicldly mass was propelled across the
hot sand. The shark was rcstivc. part
oi the force were kept at work pouring
water over him TO keep him alive The
scalding sun made this ali the more diff
cult. The monotony Of the passage was
relieved by the struggles of the man eater.
The men fought shy of his deadly laws.
The Doctor, at certain point, passed
handspikc, TO one OF his assistants, and i'm
doing so placed it near the monsters 3 mouth.
As quick rs lightning the huge jaws
snapped at it, and bit it in two as if il had
been "A reed The handspike was Of white
oak, and at least two inches in thick
ness. Respect for the shark was by this in
cidcnt increased. II was o'clock y. I'M.
NiiNh NllN U'llhl lbh'l lthAlitfl lIlt Dunk OF
the Shrewsbury. The float was pushed of
into the river and toward the boat The
river was shallow aud the men waded by
the edges of the float and pushed il along.
The passage of the river was also cnivened
by the following exciting events One Of
the men got too near the monsters tail a
moment later the man was struck power
ful blow and Knocked into the water. He
| appeared TO have been stunned, and disap-
peared. The doctor divcd after him, and
AZ nc came up, struck hs head against the
bOtrOm of the float lie crawlcd from un-
der it, however, in time 20 see the man.
whose rescue he had sought, rise above the
surface but little hurt. The shark was
pushed toward the catbDat hcadforcmost
/ His snOut touched the boats side The
great jaw opened again and took mouth
iul ont Of the boats timbcrs as large as the
head Of a barrel Then tie shark hunters
more than ever realized what an ugly Gus
toner they had 10 deal with, still they
were determined 10 prcscrvcrc. The cap
tain Of the boat, however, was disgIsted
81 never want tO see another shark, and
want so for the damage done 10 my boat. -"
Ills anger was finally appcascd, and by a
good deal Of lifting the man cater was
tumblcd uDOn the deck