Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-22

q nshr1g Expedition. Fast hortneas, of that
island in about eight fathocrs Of water, lies
the wreck Of the steamship Sossphine, marked
now By a buoy.
Although she vessel proper has been almost
entirely covered with sand, by careful sound
ing the location Of the walking beam may be
found On snchoring near hat SPOT day
Of good flshtng is assured tho spgfer. The
wrecked steAnsg has formed o baxyier or
shelter about which tho fish appear 10 gather.
and OF certain tides, no mAtsc1 what other
conditions may prevail. he abundance Of
fish makes 1t almost dEudgcry % attend the
lines No sooner has tho hook reached the
required depth than it is sstrpd by somc fargs
and voracious fish. generally red snapper,
which is gallant fighter.
IL was in August that the fshermsn above
mentioned, accompanied by two sailors In Q
yawi, anchored over tho wresik Of che Joss-
phine. Col Fenner, who has pes<ttscttpu
for taking sharks Of y largcsaze, Bad With
hun, as usual, an inch hne, tan q afenap
fathoms in length, equ.pprd With Q hoos 4
suitable size for sharks Tbs sas hatsnd
with piece Of salt pork aud thrown over
board, where IL remained undistwrted foy
long time. The line was secured 70 one Of
the thwarts OF the boat Tbs fshipg was ~
good Us usual and all werehssing good lurk,
when attention was called 70 the shark Line,
which was running Out with great sp~sd.
The rapidity of its novemsnt indicated sound
fish Of exceptional size.
The five men had hardly time TO throw
themselves To the side ot the craft Opposite
the limo when the fish. which sas firmly
hooked, bore the boat down 50 that the gur-
vale was partly submerged. PO9 several NC
ments its occupants expected that 10 would
be dragged bsoakzas under by tfss strstn
Their 1rpt impulse was 70 cut The line, bas
this was oppo>sd by ono or two Of The party,
who wished 70 see the end of ths adventure.
At this tOncture the boat suddenly rixhnai
to an even keel; tho line slackensd, and Il
was evident that the fab was moving toward
them The slack of the hne was rnptdly
taken in, which was burely accomplished
when the water became viofeualy agitatsd,
and there ieaped from the surface q great oc-
tcpus, in whose meath the book WINS firmly
fixed. AS be threw himself above the water
be darted his tentacles, which were not ls<z
than ten or fifteen feet long, toward the boat;
then he slowly sank and remained for few
moments, apparently mo,tonisss, a. II msdt
tat1ng on u mode Of attack
The condition Of the fishermen was now
somevha. critical, for they were entirely TN
provided with any weapons except a couple
OF GERS with which TO repoi the sfsack Of the
monster, and yet they were unwilling 20 de-
tach the line from the thwart There was
nothing to do but to ewntt dyVeaopusBts In
decd, there was but little time for ooglssl,s-
ton or action. eos. after a brief delay, the
a.
where, With Ms head dignity elevated be be-
gan beating The water with h1s scatacBea. lie
was apparently studying tne c1tx.ordinary
adversary which be had encountered A
third time he dasafFsarsd, and tbs time with
a fierce rush. The HDe fed over The side q
the boat with great velocity. The nxhermeu
again threw themselves b Die opposite side
and awaited the shock When IL came ths
line, unable 10 bear tue st<aln- parted - the
tkwzrts and disappeared-Ss~Y York San