Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-25
THE SHARKS HABITS.
Ex-coNSUL NICHOLAS PIXIES oPIN-
 IONS AND OBSERVATIONS.

Ex-CONSUI NICHOLAS FIXES OPiN-
 IONS AND OBSERVATIONS.
 Indian 0cean-Hooking a Couple of
 specimens-Several Thrilling Incidents.
 Col Nicholas Pike, formerly United States consul at Oporto, Portugal, and later on the Island of Mauritius, in the Indian ocean, is well known authority in natural history Calling at his residence one evening recently said:
 "You must have had some interesting en- counters with sharks, I presume, during your natural history researches in the Indian oceanFr
 "Yes," he replied, ''that region swar1ns with them. Many of them are exceedingly dangerous and they grow to be very large, some being taken twenty-seven feet in length. They generally remain near the bot tom, coming to the surface only in search of prey. At points along the coast of the Sea Shell group of islands have seen as many as 100 sharks at one time through the clear water. Once a number of English naval of- ficers and myself thought we would engage in a shark hunt. We proSured a number of strong lines, hooks and pieces of raw pork In order to make sure of the sharks coming
 
 locks blood, and when we reached the local ity most frequented by the voracious ami malls we emptied the contents of the pail upon the surface of the water. We got more than we bargained for. The sharks came about in swarms. The blood seemed to make them ferocious and they would stick their heads up out of the water, apparently looking for the animal that was bleeding. We were frightened out of our wits and pulled for shoal water. Frequently we had to stop and beat them of with our oars, fear ing that they wonld tip the boat over. They followed us even into shoal water, and when we landed we fired at them with our revol- vers.
 4 COUPLE or SHARES.
 "I had an excellent opportunity to study the habits of the shark while at Mauritius,- said Col. Pike, "because I then made a com plete collection of the fish of the Indian ocean. When the Duke of Edinburgh came | to Port Louis on one of his cruises he ex- pressed a desire to see a specimen of real man eating shark, and volunteered one day to capture one. Accordingly took my boat and a Malay crew and set out. I was par ticular to take boat without any keel, be- cause sharks will dart under a boat and tear off a keel without half trying Besides lines, 1 hooks and bait, carried whaleman's spade This is an instrument shaped like car ! penter's chisel, but as big as your hand and fixed on pole say ten feet long. Thus equipped we proceeded to the outer reef of Port Louis. Reaching deep water we threw out our lines baited with chunks of pork. The ocean was perfectly calm, and after waiting some time took pull at one of the lines and found that it was fastened to some thing. Then there was a fierce jerk from i the other end which nearly careened the i boat.
 sI knew that we had hooked one and almost simultaneously the other lines were | made taut, and could see we were to have our hands full. The shark first hooked now became fierce and was tnrashing and slash ing about in the most threatening manner. I seized my whalemanis spade and stood erect in the bow of the boat. He was coming direct for us with his mouth wide open. | When within range made a fierce lunge at him, which fortunately severed the vertebra | and the huge fish keeled over on its side dead The second one was not so easily dispatched, and when we finally did kill him his head was resting on the side of the boat, having made a spring out of the water in attacking us The third one We maneuvered with for | over an hour before we could kill it One of the sharks measured twenty-two feet, and its liver made barrel of oil The three, after being exhibited at Port Louis, were stuffed and sent to Professor Agassiz and are now in the Museum of Comparative Zo- ology at Cambridge, Mass.
 GREEDY FLESH EATERS All the meat that was brought to Port Louis came in vessels and the cattle were | lowered into the water and made to swim | ashore. It was not an uncommon thing for the sharks to seize a live animal and make away with it. In order to study the habits | of this wonderful fish more thoroughly ff,nl fean hs,1I r,h s-, the parts most frequcnted by them. I then waited to see ho V they would pull him to | pieces. They would so off some distance and then swim swiftly toward the bullock | tearing great circular pieces out of the launches. In one hour there was not @ sin gle vestige of the bullock left. So intent were they upon their prey that they allowed me to put moose around their tails and drag them on the reef, where we killed them. Three specimens captured in this way were sent to the Smithsonian Institution at Wash ington.
 Once there were two men of the coast of Mauritius in pirogue, or what we would | call a dugout. A ravenous shark seemed determined to have them. and finally suc- ceeded in turning the boat over. The men drew their clasp knives and tried to defend | themselves, but ono or them was swallowed by the fish without m apparent effort, and, strange to say, he did not then seem to be satisfied. The people on the shore who had witnessed this tragic event determined to capture the monster, and, accordingly, they killed kid and fastened it to a hook For a | time the shark swan around it, apparently | suspecting something, but finally swallowed it and the delighted natives hauled him ashore. The fish was opened and l saw the body of the man, which was taken out, and have the knife which he held in his hand
 Masters of whaling vessels have told me | that they have known sharks to jump out of the water and take pieces of meat which were suspended from the ships side The \ ship Ellen Wallace was anchored in the har- | bor of Port Louis ct one time and sailor asked permission of the captain to go ashore. | He was refused and accordingly jumped overheard, determined to swim ashore. He was swallowed by shark before he had cov- | cred half the distance. also saw his body taken out of the fish. Brooklyn Eagle. A Wedding Superstition. |