The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1891-09-05
RACE WITH A MAN EATER
ADVENTURE OF AN ENGLISHMAN IN
THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.
while Enjoying Plank Riding on the
wavns Near the Shore AN EntbusIastlo
visitor Narrowly Escaped Savage
shRrk--Queor sport Amid Brsaksrs

/ Visitor Narrowly Escaped Savage
shnrk--Qusor sport Amid Breakers
! Speaking Of adventures" said my
companion. who had been listening 10
number Of stories told in the old boat
house, II can relate one that at least at
the time seemed exciting enough. had
been travelling around the world, after
the fashion Of Englishmen, and had
stopped at the Samoan islands on my
way up from Australia 10 run them over
and gain some information regarding
the natives, their ways and customs. and
as IA result became enamored with the
place, climate and people, and remained
there nearly year
4 During that time | made myself
familiar with nearly all the islands of
the group, and one in particular had a
singular fascination TO me Once on the
hill tops | looked down upon a long
beach, upon which beat the finest surf
have ever seen The waves were simply
great rollers. which came in slow.
dignifed fashion that was most Impress
i've. The men, who had all been there
before, ran down the shore. where soon
saw them hauling some planks from the
bush, which | learned they had con.
cealed on n former occasion In short,
the waves We're used by them 10 enjoy
one Of the most exciting sports imagin.
able. and was very quickly initiated
into IL.
/ FASCINATING SPORT.
THE men threw off what little cloth
ing they wore. Then each seized plank
and attempted 10 launch it. This was
easier said than done, and many were
the upsets that ensued as the big rollers
came in. but finally all Of them got be-
yond the shore and beyond the point
where the waves broke. and then | saw
where the sport came in Turning in
shore the men threw themselves upon
the planks. and, watching their opp0rtu.
nifty. steered them 80 that they held
their position on the crest of the roller
and came in with it. Once under way
the natives slsillfully raised themselves to
their feet, and so standing upright came
rushing in. Some were tossed off Others
were caught in the breaking wave
while the most skillful and intrepid re-
tained their standing position until they
were literally flung upon the beach
Il was younger in those days than /
am now, and soon convinced myself that
! should enjoy this sport as well as the
natives, and, securing plank. |, too
pushed out from the shore The first
wave that struck me nearly drowned
me, but dived into the next and my
plank beat me in about two minutes.
During that visit | did not attain
sufficient skill To enable me to take the
ride standing, but on subsequent occa-
sions became fairly proficient, and
then the sport for time became a veri-
table craze with me interested "A
number of Englishmen and Americans
in it, and we really fell into the habit Of
getting up wave riding parties. had
become so skillful that rarely missed IL
wave, and could make my way out with
ease and come riding in with perfect
equipOise. ! became so daring that /
often swan ont beyond the rest that |
might obtain the full force and exhilara-
ton of the ride, and one day when the
sea was particularly high and rolling
very heavily met with my adventure
/ CHASED By MONSTER.
There were six of US enjoying the
sport. with as many natives. | had
plank especially made for the purpose.
wide and stout enough to bear my en-
tire weight, and by lying upon it soon
forced my way over the incoming rollers
and fioated in the comparatively smooth
water beyond. Here turned my plank
shoreward and waited for good roller
Every third one was, as rule, large,
and finally big. green bodied one came
whirling in, shutting out the horizon.
As 1t came caught it. and as felt the
transferred motion lightly sprang to my
feet and stsadied myself on the monster
that extended up and down the shore
and was rushing to its own destruction
'On went, shouting gayly to my
companions on the beach. Then ! sud-
denly became aware that something was
beside me. gave side glance and the
reality almost made me lose my foothold
upon the rushing plank. What | saw
was the sharp dorsal fin of man eating
shark cutting along through the water
like knife The monster was thirteen
or more feet long and was partly turned
up toward me, showing the white. gleam-
ing under surface.
What passed through my mind in
those few seconds can hardly be imag
ined. | gave myself up for lost, as be-
lieved the shark would soon rush at the
plank, when over | would so, an easy
victim do not know that have more
than ordinary nerve, but it flashed
through my mind that possibly the shark
was waiting for me to fall, and would
not make an attack unless did, and in
some unaccountable way was enabled
to retain my self possession. Every sec
ond was gaining; every second brought
the big wave nearer the beach. Now it
was on the verge of breaking. Still the
shark maintained its position, Then
heard the welcome roar above me, and
down it came like an avalanche, scintil-
lating and cleaning, until with one
mighty burst the aquatic monster broke.
Er~ a 90 snOon1 I stood ip tb.a ,r1ao,,>