Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-06
A RACE WITH A MAN EATER.
A Startling Adventure In the Surf ut the g.
moan Islands.

A Startling Adventure In the Surf ut the b.
moan Islands.
Charles Frederick Holder in the Philadelphia
Times describes an amusement pre- valent among
the Samoan Islanders Of taking plank and
riding into shore on the crest Of the big waves
that lazily roll in upon the beach. Some ac-
quire high proficiency and are able to stand
erect on the plank and guide it, The sport is
said to be peculiarly exhilarating and he finally
learned to ride erect as skilfully as o native.
An adventure he met with one day is thus de-
scribed:
There were six Of us enjoying the sport
with as many natives. 1 had plank especially
made for the purpose, wide and stout enough
to bear my entire weight and by lying upon it
soon forced my way over the incoming rollers
and foated 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 a big green
bodied one came whirling in, shutting oui the
horizon. As it came I caught it, and as l felt
the transferred motion lightly sprang to my
feet and steadied myself on the monster that
extended up and down the shore and was rush
ing In to its own destruction. The exilaration
amounted almost to intoxication. On I went,
tho big wave beginning to comb and hiss, leav-
ing me on the edge of a watery precipice into
"hich Nouiu Il apparently De tnrOWn.
On went, shouting gaily to q companion
on the beach. Then suddenly became aware
that something was beside me. l gave a side
glance and the reality almost made me lose nv
foothold upon the rushing plank. What 1 saw
was the sharp dorsal fin of a man-eater 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 cleaning under surface
What passed through my mind in those few
seconds can hardly be imagined. gave my
self up for lost, as believed that the shark
would soon rush at the plank, when over l
would go, an easy victim. do not know tina.
have more than ordinary nerve, but it flashed
through my mind that possibly the shark was
waiting for me to fall and would not attack me I'M
less did, and in some unaccountable way was
enabled to retain my self-possession. Every
second was gaining; every second brought the
big wave nearer the beach. Now it was on tho
verge of breaking; still the shark maintained
ITS position; then l heard the welcome roar
above me. and down it came like an avalanche,
scintillating and cleaning, until with one
mighty burst the aquatic monster broke. For
a single second l stood in the cleaning mass
and then was dashed upon the beach safe and
sound.
''The shark did not come in, which was ev-
ldence to me that it had not been overcome
by the rush of the water. but was simply fol-
lowing me with due regard to its cuisine.
need hardly say that this was my last experience
riding breakers. Upon inquiry learned that
natives had been attacked by sharks during
the sport on several occasions. When look
back ulon it and recall the sensation of rush.
ing onward high on the crest Of q big wave
almost wish l could indulge in the sport again,
though without the shark accompaniment"