Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-05-22
MAN-EATERS OF THE DEEP.
A CHAPTER ON THE voRAcTTY OF
THE SHARK.
Adventures with This FerOciOus Fish
killing Sharks Single-Handcd
Value OF Sharks.

Speaking about the voracity of sharks,
a Cincinnati scientist said to an Enquirer
reporter:
"As rule, the ferocity of the man
eater is exaggerated. Hundreds of yarns
are told by sea-faring men that have not
the slightest foundation in fact; buts of
course, there are cases where Eharks show
the greatest ferocity, and several have
come under my own knowledge.
1.-TWO years ago party went out fish
ing near Cape Cod, and when the vessel
came to anchor one of the number took a
small boat and rowedsRAay from the rest
about hundred yards ana began fishing.
All went smoothly for an hour, when
suddenly the party on the large vessel
heard terrible scream, and looking to-
ward the small boat saw a large fish hang
ing over the side and the fisherman
striking at it. His defense was at first
successful, but in moment the fish,
gigantic shark. dashed again toward the
boat, and, rising over it, he seized the
victim, bearing him off. The schooner
was sailed over the spot as soon as possi-
BILE, but not the slightest trace of the
gentleman was to be seen.
"a captain of a government vessel, "
continued the speaker, stationed near
Key West, told remarkable story illus
trating the activity of the shark. The
vessel was lying in small channel up
the reef, AMI the men were in bathing,
swimming about and enjoying the warm
water when man at the cross-trees sang
out 'Sharkp observing the fin of man
eater cutting the water in the Immediate
vicinity. The men made rush for the
vessel, and boat was quickly lowered,
all being picked up except one man, who
was supposed to be safe, as he had
caught o rope ladder that was hanging
over the stern. He had clambered up
until within foot of the gunwale, ten
feet above the water, when an enormous
tiger shark, with dark stripes upon its
body, rose like flying fish from the
water, seized the unfortunate sailor and
dragged him from the rope and disap-
peared Commerson, the naturalist, re-
lates even more remarkable case than
this that occurred on SLAYER. One of
the negroes had mutinied, and had been
hung from the yard-arm, SO that the
body swung twenty feet above the water,
to and fro, warning to the rest. To-
ward night the officer of the deck
heard splash, and going to the side saw
large shark rise and make for the body
1t missed it by about four feet, falling
back with a splash, but the next time it
took longer start, clearing the distance
easily; seizing the body it swung an in
slant; then the weight broke the rope
and they fell into the sea and disappeared
before the eyes of the terrified specta-
tors. But these, however, are excep-
tional cases. | lived for ten years in a
shark country, where they were as COM
mon as catfish in the river, and | never
knew an accident to occur, and people
were in the water all the time. | myself
have jumped off the dock when fifteen
feet away man-eaters had been seen pass
ing only few minutes before. OF course,
they were fed at the slaughter house l
mentioned, and that, perhaps, made a
difference.
THE Kanakas think no more of at
tacking a shark than you would gar
fish They tackle them in their own ele-
ment, too, giving them every advantage.
l remember on one of my trips lot of
men and boys swan out to the ship, and
amused us by diving for pennies. While
thus engaged some one sang out Shark =
The majority of the youngsters
tumbled into boat that was swung from
a yard; but one man remained in the
water, and we soon saw that he had
knife in his mouth. He steadied him.
self until the fish was within twenty feet
of him, and then sank quickly under
water A few moments later there was
such splashing and foam that you
would have thought there was a sub
marine volcano. had jumped into the
rigging and saw the whole thing. The
native had dived quietly under the
monster, and with jerk upward had
inserted his knife, at one blow dis
! embowling the fish, that was almost
Immediately in the midst of its
death-throes, and made no attempt to
avenge its death, dartirih round and
round, and lashing the W er into foam
that contrasted strangel IN the red
line of the blood. Tx tive came to
the surface in the mi of this sea of
blood, and calmly sws 20 the boat and
clambered in; not, wever, to receive
the congratulations of his comrades, as
they took it as a matter of course. and
al considered it "a everyday piece of
work. In half ant hour the blood had
attracted number IS oSlscf sharks. which
attacked their fellow and tore him in
pieces.
'sAre sharks Of any special usew asked
the Enquirer wrifenE
s-Certainly, VS. the reply. In the
FIRST place, as we have seen, they are the