River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-09-18
AFTER LARGE FISH.


A correspondent of the New York
Times writing from the southern shore
Of Long Island Sound, says:
IL was with the assurance that there
were no sharks in Great South bay that
came to Fire Island 1t may be said
at once that / came expressly to fish
for sharks
The uprising sun was dimly strug-
Cling through the haze this morning
when my sailor lad, an honest young
fellow from Bay Shore, hoisted sail on
trim little sloop and hauled out into
1he channel. A hayward breeze broke
upon the calm surface of the bay and
pushed against our little sails with gen
tie force. The water gurgled softly at
the bow and bubbled away, shining
streak of silver, in our wake. Early as
we had started, we were later than a
handsome little sloop from the Wa Wa
Yander Club House, which was stand
ing up the bay some distance ahead.
That's Cap'n John Thurber, said the
sailor lad, bracing his back against the
tiller and making spyglass of his hands.
"He's after blue fish with one of those
city fellers what belongs to the club.
He knows where the fish is, you can bet. g
"You kin throw out now, said the
boy at length "Cap'n John is a. gettin
out his lines"
Not at all unwilling to follow the ex-
ample of so excellent q fisherman as
Captain John, baited strong hook
with bunker bait and let the line run out.
Some persons troll for bluefish with a
al fsoh L,
the sportsmanlike rod and reel the fish
has chance for himself and the anglers
skill is taxed to the utmost. When the
fisherman is after sharks the number of
bluefish caught is a matter of indifference
hence the basketful of voracious two
pound sinners that were hauled aboard
the sloop in the next half hour need not be
mentioned here. At the end of the half
hour we had drifted abreast the wooden
pier leading down the bay from the
hotel Then felt mighty tug at the
thin line, and the n ext moment the
weight was as suddenly removed /
reeled in the line as rapidly as the
brass multiplier would work. The
bate was gone and the hook was broken
off at the shank. Without word the
boy seized the big iron shark hook,
with its short length of chain, and
thrust seven inch bunker upon the
sharp barb.
Its a shark" said the boy, as the
heavy line was unreeled. But he
don't break this hook"
Then the sloop tackled back and forth
across The channel, working slowly
along with the tide. For fully ten
minutes the bait trailed along unharm-
ed.
"Hil" suddenly yelled the boy, he's
got it"
The line Strengthened out along the
surface of the water with tremendous
jerk, keeling the sloop to the leeward
as though heavy puff of wind had
struck her main top-sail. For single
instant the light under side of seven
foot shark flashed in the sun, and then
the line went wLizzing down toward the
bottom of the bay. The line was paid
out freely, and soon the shark stopped.
Haul away r l shouted, bracing my
feet against the rail. The boy fell to
with will, and the shark moved slow
" and unsteadily toward the sloop,
Then o shower of spray from the sharks
rapidly moving tail glittered in the sun,
and before we could take turn around
a cleat with the slack line the big fish
had rushed off ten fatboms astern.
Gently we coaxed him back, hoping to
tire him into submission. In sullen
stiffness he came within two feet of the
sloop, and the boy reached for our
shark killer-an old bayonet fastened
firmly to the end of a hoe handle.
"Here, jab him quick" said the boy,
thrusting the weapon across the stern
sheets. Raising the spear like a har-
poon, L drove it into the sharks gills
half a dozen times in three seconds
The blood spurted out in great streams,
staining the side of the sloop and turning
the water dark crimson. The shark
turned like flash.
"Now let him go" cried the boy, who
In moment of excitement seemed gifted
with an inspiration of eloquence. A
hundred feet of line followed the shark
in mad rush out into the bay. Then
slowly, as before, we hauled it in, with
the shark hanging doggedly to hook
that he could not crush. Again we
brought him alongside, and once more
did the glittering harpoon draw gushing
streams of blood.
'sShoot him!" screamed the boy in
genuine alarm, as the shark began anew
demonstration of ugliness. Itwas too late
to shoot, for before the revolver could
be brougt to bear the gamey fish was
two boat lengths to windward. Weary
with the quick work, we hauled him
in again, but with less enthusiasm than
at first. The shark too, seemed tired.
Two central-fire cartridge balls were
sent crushing through his head as he lay
a boats length from the sloop, and an
other shot stunned him so that we were
able to slip moose over his tail, and
with perspiration compelling energy,
hoist him up into the standing rigging.
When we had rested and Amounted our
blistered hands, we took his measure,
1t is not necessary to give the figures,
as the practice of reporting measure
ments and weight has fallen into disre-
pute with the innocent and confiding
public. Three hours afterward the boy
showed q small pine stick into the
sharks mouth, and for his temerity
nearly lost his hand, when the dying
fish turned over on the muscles of his
tail and made sidelong snap with its
vicious jaws. The lad turned pale, and
made all haste to resume his place at the
tiI1ar