The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-10-15
FISHING FOR MAN EATERS.
. Long Struggle With q Powerful
Fish.


full of sharks. From the island-dotted
waters at Far Rockaway to the dim
pling shadows OF Rellport Bay the
presence Of the shark is made manifest
nearly every day in the year. Sharks
may be caught all along Great South
Bay in never-failing numbers, but the
favorite fishing ground for knowing
\ anglers is off the southern stretch of
Fire Island. Enterprising keepers of
summer resort hotels will tell the timid
visitor, Is q matter of course, that
Great South Bay--in the neighborhood
of their hOtels-was never known to
contain shark. and will affect wither-
ing air of unbelief should any one per-
sist in saying that friend of his caught
q seven-foot man eater in plain sight
of the hotel steps. Unlike the sea
serpent. the man-eating shark is not
considered desirable addition to the
attractions of a seaside resort A
shark is altogether too practical in his
ideas of life to suit the timid bather of
the easily frightened hay-fever patient.
1t was with the assurance that there
were no sharks in Great South Bay
that came to Fire Island. It 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
a trim little sloop and hauled out
into the channel. A wayward breeze
broke upon the calm surface of the
bay and pushed against our little sails
with gentle 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 handsome little sloop from the
Wa Wa Yanda Club House, which was
standing up the bay some distance
ahead.
That's Cap'n John Thurber," said
the sailor lad, bracing his back against
the tiller and making a spyglass of
his hands. Hes after bluefish with
with one of those city fellers what be-
longs to the club. He knows where
the fish is, you can bet.
"You kin throw out, now," said the
boy. at length. ''Cap'n John is a-get-
tim out his lines"
Not at all unwilling to follow the
example of so excellent a fisherman as
Capt John, l baited q strong hook
with bunker bait and let the line run
out. Some persons troll for bluefsh
with line as thick as Goldfish line,
but with the more sportsmanlike rod
and reel the fish has q chance for him.
self and the anglers skill is taxed to
the utmost. When the fisherman is
after sharks the number of the bluefish
caught is the matter of Indifference,
hence the basketful of vocarious 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 ut the thin line, and the next
moment the weight was as suddenly
removed. reeled in the line as rap
idly rs the brass multiplier would work.
The bait 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 a seven inch bunker upon
the sharp barb.
''It's a shark" said the boy. as the
heavy line was unreeled. ''Bet he
don't break this hook
Then the sioop tackled back and
forth across the channel. working slow
ly along with the tide. For fully ten
minutes the bait trailed along unharm-
ed.
''Hi!' suddenly yelled the boy. she's
got it!''
The line Strengthened out along the
surface of the water with a tremendous
jerk, hecling the sloop to lceward as
though heavy puff of wind had struck
her maintopsaiL For a single instant
the light under side of a scven-foot |
shark. flashed on the sun, and then the
line went whizzing down toward tho
bottom of the bay. The line was let
out freely, and soon the shark stopped.
Haul awayr' l shouted, bracing
my feet against the rail. The boy fell
to with will, and the shark moved
slowly and unsteadily toward the sloop.
Then a shower of spray from The
sharks rapidly moving tail glittered
in the sun, and before we could take
turn around cleat with slack line
the big fish had rushed off ten fathoms
astern. Gently we coaxed him back,
hoping to tire him into submission. In
sul!cn stiffness he came within two feet
OF the s.oop. and the boy reached for
cl firmly 10 the end of hoe handle.
Here. jab him, quick" said the
bay lhrus,ing the weapon across the
stern sheets. Raising the spear like y
larroon drove it into the shark gills
i'a.f Il dozen times in three seconds.
The b.ood spurted out in great streams
staining the side of the sloop and turn
ing the water dark crimson. The
shark iurncti ike :, flash.
Now lei him 90, cried the boy, who,
in moments of excitement. seemed
lifted with III inspiration OF eioquence.
A hundred feet of line followed the
shark in u mad rush out into the bay.
Then slowly, rs before, we hauled it
in, with the shark hanging doggedly to
a hook that he could not crush. Again
we brought him alongside, and once
more did the glittering harpoon draw
gashing streams of blood.
Shoot him. screamed the boy in
genuine alarm as the shark began a
new demonstration of ugliness. It
was too late to shoot, for before the
revolver could be brought to bear the
gamy 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 we're sent crushing
through his head as he lay boats
length from the sloop, and another
shot stunned him so that we were able
to slip a moose over his tail, and, with
prespiration-compelling energy, hoist
him up into the standing rigging.
When we had rested and annointed our
blistered hands. we took his measure.
II is not necessary to give the figures.
as the practice of reporting measure
ments and weight has fallen into disre-
pute with tho innocent and coniiding
public. Three hours afterwards the boy
showed 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 its tail and
made sidelong snap with its vic
ious jaws. The lad turned pale, and !
made all haste to resume his place
at the tillcr.