The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-03-15
A MAN-EATING SHARK.
The "Old Commodore" Got His
Man at Last.

Man at LaSC.
During the spring and summer of 1868
1 was attached as junior deck officer to
the United States schooner Para, en-
gagged in blockading Mosquito Inlet,
Florida, about fifty miles below st.
Augustine.
The vessel was usually anchored just
outside of the bar, in position COM
manding an excellent view up the chan
mel into the inlet, but far enough off to
allow sufficient sea room in getting un-
der way at any time.
Occasionally, in fine weather, the YES
sci would make a short cruise up or
down the coast, always leaving boat
behind at the entrance with an armed
crew, thus maintaining a constant watch
over the inlet. We also sent in boat
expeditions from time to tlne, princi-
pally for the purpose of obtaining fresh
wster-as our sole sources of supply
consisted of the rain water we were en-
abled to catch upon our awnings, and
such small quantities as we could OBJ
tain at certain springs upon the main
land.
IDeTe WtTb uO regular SOhltutIduS
troops stationed in the vicinity, but a
band of home guards, or, more properly,
guerillas infested the neighborhood,
whom we were liable to encounter at
any time when landing, which obliged
us to take the utmost precautions, es-
pecially against ambuscades as, about
year previous, several of our officers
and men had been killed in that manner,
near the small hamlet of New Smyrna,
on the Hillsborough river, about three
miles south of the inlet
Being very fond of fishing, devoted
the most of my spare time to that sport.
Inside the inlet, on the she'll banks, we
caught large numbers of sheepshead,
channel bass, and many other varieties
of edible fish, while outside, in the
vicinity of the vessel, there were multi
tudes Of sharks, porpoises, and other
large fish, and so engrossed did | become
in devising means for their capture,
that ! actually begrudged the time re-
quired for the performance of my regu-
lar duties on shipboard.
One of the seamen, Tom Stearns
native of the State of Maine, was my
constant companion on all fishing eX-
cursions. He was fully six feet in
height, well-proportioned, always cheer
full and obliging, and brave as lion. He
had been whaling several voyages, and
besides being an expert in throwing the
harpoon and grains Ia large flve-pronged
iish spear), was thoroughly posted
in the habits of nearly all the varieties
of the finny tribes in those waters SO
that our united efforts kept the whole
crew constantly supplied with fish.
From the mainmast head i counted at
one time, within radius of one hun
dred yards from the vessel, upward Of
forty sharks, ranging from six to twelve
feet in length, and seldom day passed
that we did not catch one or more of
them, as the shark-hook, we'll baited
and securely fastened to the end of a
strong line, was kept hanging overheard
from the stern constantly. day and
night. There was one very large one
among them, that, as we became famil-
lar with the almost daily sigh5 of him,
wo nicknamed the "Old Commodore"
He appeared to be very shy and kept at
respectful distance from the vessel.
lie was variously estimated by the mem
bers of our crew to be from seventeen to
twenty feet in length, and was of
mottled gray color of the variety known
as the tiger shark, the most dangerous
and dreaded member of that family. 1t
became my particular ambition to cap
ture the sold Commodore but all
efforts in that direction, though ably
seconded by Tom, we're failures. Ia
vain did we bait the shark-hook with
attractive pieces of fat pork, fresh fish,
and other tidbits most likely to tempt
the sold Commodores" palate. He
would never take the least notice of
them, nor could we ever get near enough
to strike him with the harpoon. Tom
finally gave 1T up in despair, saying
"It's no use trying, sir, we can't catch
that shark. He's an old man-eater, and
is waiting for some one on board OF this
vessel and he'll get him, too. You'll
SEQ, sir"
One pleasant morning, when the sca
was perfectly smooth with scarce
5reath Of cir stirring, as | was leaning
against the. rail- amidships, idly watch
ing the gambols OF school Of porpoises
near US, Tom slipped up alongside of me
and said:
"Wouldn't you like to catch one of
those porpoises, sir?"
THAT would, Tom. but how are we
going TO do it?"
81 think we can contriye TO steal up
car enough in the dingey TO put the
arpoon into me-" he replied.
'Very well, well try it, said !; and
obtaining the requisite permission, we
lowered the dingey, our smallest boat,
and off vc started With tWom pulling,