St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-14
THREE sHA..A STORIES
How One of the Tigers of the Sen
Was Blown Up.

Was Blown Up.
Chambers Journal.
L recOllect a shark that gave me con-
siderable shock. | had been engaged
blowing I'D a reef of rocks SD as to en-
large little harbor on the coast. 1t
was my duty to make the hole and put
in the charge of dynamite. The charge
was exploded in the evening after we
left.off work. On going down every
morning | was accustomed to go over TO
certain ledge which was always a
good resting place for Holsters. Morn
ing after morning | had invariably
found pair or more of these crus-
taceans, which | sent to the surface in
q basket.
On the morning to which now refer
[ walked straight to the ledge and ran
my hand along its lower side. l
was surprised to find my hand cropping
within foot of the mouth of Il great
shark which had retired to rest in this
cave. The shark must have been as
much alarmed as | was, for it made one
spring from its resting place and dis
appeared in the dark wall OF ocean. The
shock to me was greater than l could
have believed, and even yet | do not
care to think about 1t much. 1t is hardly
necessary to say that did not return to
that ledge for Holsters for some time.
On another occasion Il big fellow came
alongside me where | was working. L
stopped, of course, and stepped back
quickly to let him pass. But he did not.
He came nearer. | then thought ne
was curious, but soon found that an
other feeling than curiosity was moving
him. AS | retreated he still advanced,
until | found myself damned up against
the rock. | could retreat 10 further.
and yet the brute came Oh determlnedly.
But instead Of approaching me with his
long nose--for you don't see his jaws
he turned his Sind and began tn rub mp
against me. | had small Jumper" in
my hand which | held with the point
outwards against his side, as | did not
wish to have his rough skin scoring
against my dress. 1t was something
like what a COW would be rubbing
against you.
The iron on his skin was, however,
the very thing he wanted, as he soon
gave me 10 understand. | was kept
there at least half an hour scratching
that monster with the sharp iron. He
took it like pig, bending his body and
turning over ON his side so as to present
a fresh surface to the jumper. | SUP
pose he must have felt easier for the
operation. for after some time he moved
away. | had one or two further visits
from him on following days. on each OF
which | was obliged to scratch him for
a tine. think he must have recognized
Inc as kindly and effectual scratcher.
| imagine lie was suffering from some
parasltical Or skin disease, to which he
may have fallen a victim. Otherwise l
might be in that scratching billet still.
One of the boys who worked in 1he
boat once inserted a charge Of dynamite
in sleeps head; the charge was, of
course, attached to the battery by wire.
After we had "knocked OFF, he threw
in the sleeps head. In about ten see
onds the head was taken in" by a
small shark. In ten seconds more there
was an explosion. and fragments of
shark were abundant. In certainly less
than a minute afterwards the sea was
almost alive with sharks contending for
a relic of their deceased kins-shark.
This experience was. however, obtained
from the surface, and what L pride my
self most on is thatI see these creatures
from below.