The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-08

invitation to Mr.. Herman Oelrichs from some
letter writer from Tallahassee. in this State
to come down and he will show Mr. Oelrichs
sharks that bite. As Tallahassee is inland
and the capital OF our State. the sharks" that
may be meant are probably those that hang on
the outskirts OF Legislatures. and they may
bite" But down this way. on the coast
sharks are large in size and rather numerous
and yet. after cruising up and down and
around the inlets several times each year fol
the past five yeare. and looking into the shark
question carefully. feel satisfied that Mr.
Oerichs is right have yet to find. either in
my own experience or that OF the old residents
Of this coast. any case OF human being being
attacked by shark. I believe that a shark is
liable to and probably will fight II cornered.
not otherwise. SO will q rat and more ttmid
creatures under similar conditions.
The almost universal belief that sharks OF
"man-eaters" attack human beings is both q
tradition and q superstition. You will find
grizzled. weather-beaten seamen who believe
in 1t as devotee believes In his religion. yet
who on cross-examination cannot Of their
own knowledge. give an instance Of such an
attack. though they have sailed all their lives
in the waters that, according to shark-story
a e
unfamiliar to the great majority Of people. and
going vessels q the cause 81 thsir Willingness
ss s q. ss;s asss %
az
attack man. have read some terrib S shark
stories !mostly from Western papersL the
sS Sses Fl and a tie BsRsnas s sHrs " Which
were made OF whole cloth. though written as
ift&sy were regular news despftShes
as TIE case u The mali SA carregr WIG dsape
ts Ike
ssy anal Tot hi
find It he stripped and put his clothes and the
dertoof to swine the inlet brns The
boat back . He was probably carried out
K
..,devoHred BY sharks" and, one Of the sensa-
IN the centre Of group Of the monsters with
saa 81 11 II The o9 ehe 6s
upset from their boat In the sane place some
and tes singns to hs
werIsd their boat to tie shore SY SWIM s.
ming ana W8OlnR Inc o8uQWlcn 15lAuuS are
tayorite place in the stories for man eaters"
shore swimming on a surf board. their persons
immersed in the water: and sometimes as
sharks attack them. Also In Two Years
Before the Mast (chapter XIX. page 1S7) read
the account OF the shark and the Kanakas
who went into the water after him and the
sHas both sssors .n ns familiar With SHARKS
from childhood. vt they 90 IN the water and
story Is entirely reliable
On the other hand. Clark Russell. in his
Voyage to the Cape" which Is not q story,
but narrative Of an ordinary steamer trip.
tells some wonderful shark stories. but the
careful reader will notice that they begin II
met the mate Of an East Indiaman once and
tired Captain" and then follows the shark
story-carefuly separate from the account OF
the sea voyage. but apt to be taken BY the
careless reader as having the sanction and be-
lief Of the writer. II not an actual experience
Much familiarity with sharks along this
coast has made US regard them with contempt.
and when at the inlets with my family the APP
pearance q shark I'm or q number Of them
our regular surf bath. ! am q New Yorker,
have crossed the ocean several times. talked
with many experienced Captains who have
sailed In foreign waters read the matter up.
and came to Mr.. Oelrichs's conclusion good
along this coast Is Of tho Last i've years. oruis-
Ing n NIX 9wp ysaSht; and confirms the con-
Mvpvrrr 1vn,.v R,vrn IER ). NEv1Sa