Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-06-09

sky was ablaze with the glory of trop
ical sunset, shout went up from the
group of expectant fishermen on the
beach. They pointed to Diamond head,
where, clearly drawn against the purple
sky, was seen the naked figure of the
Waterman fiourishing his scarlet malo, or
breech cloth, which he had torn off to
signal with.
1t took us but few moments to reach
our canoe and spring in. Immediately
our crew of paddlers forced the light
hulls into the water. and in another mo-
ment we were darting over the smooth
water inside the reef in hot chase after
the large double canoe, on the platform
of which sat the kahuna wildly tossing
bis arms about and bowling out dismal
incarnation. All the paddIers sat on the
gunwaIes of their canoes, and with
vigorous rhythmic strokes of their broad
bladed paddles drove forward the vessels
Soon we felt from the plunging motion
that we were on the inner edge of the
breakwater. Another moment and the
roar and hiss of the coming waves were
upon us. | glanced at the doctor and
had Just glimpse of him, as he sat low
down in the stern of his canoe, his mus
cular hands clutching firmly the edges OF
the craft, while from between his close
set teeth depended his beloved meer-
schaum. Quick puffs of smoke betrayed
his excitement as the canoes reared and
plunged over the breakers, and then we
were gliding easily over the long swell
outside.
Though it did not take us long to reach
the spot where the man-eat was known
to be, yet night had fallen on them, and
it was by the light of torches made Of
the baked kernels of the candle-nut
strung upon cocoa-leaf fibre that we drew
near the fleet. As we did so the dip Of
paddles was noiseless. and it was by signs
alone that the ''luna, "or head fisherman,
gave direction to the rest BY the smoky,
red light of the torches we could see men
busily scattering about the baked meat
they had brought, and also half-chewed
morsels of the ava root As they did SO
there was the CLEAN CT the fins and tails
of hundreds of fish darting to and fro
for the food. Now and then larger one
than the rest, with sides glowing with
phosphorescent light, would dart among
the smaller fry, scattering them right
and left
."They are the 'mano- Kanaka, >" whis-
pered the doctor 1--WE had both crawled
on to the platform of our canoej, ''the
shark god of the old Hawa;ians. 1t is
the kind they believed could assume the
forms of human beings at will. And
therel therel" he added, quickly, as a
ruacsivo huILr roco cIOu-Iv from, 4bo 4 onfhc
below. ''there is the 'mano-keokeO,' the
great white sharkr'
Just then the old fisherman stationed
neIr us suddenly crouched down, and,
touching the doctor with one lean brown
hand, pointed to the water near the
stern of the canoe, next to us. We there
saw. cleaning in the opalescent depths,
two bright spots that shone with ma
lignant. greeuish light. They were set
in monstrous, shaiowy head, beyond
which we could dilnly see huge brown
body. Below the cold, cruel eyes were
traced the outlines of a fo1.sda-
BILE mouth, that. even as we looked
opened slowly, disclosing row upon row
of strongly hooked, pe8rly white teeth,
with deeply serrated edges. As this
frightful mouth opened the monster
rolled half over and vigorously snapped
at the bundle Of food sinking near him,
1t was the Niuhi, the fiercest and most
voracious of his tribe. and as he moved
along the crowd of fish darted away in
terror. Even the great white shark sui
lenly gave place to this tiger of the sea,
who swan slowly about swallowing the
food the fishermen kept throwing to him.
As he thus moved from place to place his
whole body seemed to exhale a peculiar
light, that streamed from the tips of his
fins and long unevenly lobed tail. BIZ
the CLEAN of this peculiar phosphores-
cence his motion could be C osely
watched. and finally the experienced
fishermen saw that he was becoming
gorged. So intent had we been watch
ing his movements that we had not
noticed that while he was being fed the
tieet of canoes had been silently moved
In near the shore. Now. looking down.
we could dimly see the white sandy bot
tom, and in few minutes were in quite
shallow water, opposite an opening in
The reef where the surf did not break.
Our progress had been very slow, and
now for awhile the canoes halted. while
uONeTlDR DttWctu tletu WIS tnc uldli-
eater, evidently somewhat stupefed by
the ava he had swallowed with the food
so freely given him.
The old Kahuna had, during the
whole performance. kept up his pano-
ramic display. though in a guarded.
quiet manner, while the fishermen kept
close watch upon the shark. lie gorged
to repletion, evidently intended TO take
. map, and so settled slowly down on
the white sandy bottom. He was the
perfect (submarinel picture Of overfed
helplessness. and it seemed as though
we could almost hear him snore.
And then commenced curious exhi-
bition Of skill and daring. A moose had
oeen made in the end OF q long, strong
, rope, and this was taken by an expert
enced old fisherman, who quietly slipped
overhead from his canoe aud allowed
himself to sink to where the man eater
was resting his body enveloped in that
strange, weird light That was the
moment when, If the shark had been
shamming sleep. he would with one Wig
orous sweep Of his tail and snap of
his laws have earned the name Of 'man-
eater - Dut M. he trae for the time