The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-26
A TALE OF A SHARK.
A True Narrative Related by "Cap'n
Jim" Wright, of the Mary Jane.

A True Narrative Related by "Cap'n
Jim" Wright, of the Mary Jane.
From the NelO York Mail and Express.
1t was Capt. James Wright who told the
story. and when he had finished his auditors
got up and faded away in the dim twilight
Capt. Wright. or "Cap'n Jim," as he ia
better known, sails from Mains, but, with
his schooner, the Mary Jane, he has been
running pineapples from the West Indies to
this city. He was entertaining some friends
in his room at one oftthe sdowntown hotels
and reporter was among them.
II have told you some of my experiences
but don't think related what happened
to a shark a little way from Port Antonio,
Jamaica, two trips ago. 1t was In the latter
part Of May, and you know the West H.
dian sun is not only warm, but it is hot
enough to draw the tar out of the decks and
make the okum show. We were, perhaps,
100 miles southeast of the point, and there
was dead calm on.
I'VE had been running before a squall
which had developed iuto gale, and had
been driven away out Of our course. The
men were idling about the deck and all
were trying to keep COOL My only passen-
ger and myself were on the poop drinking
some gin and water with a little lime Juice
in it and enjoying the loaf as only men can
who can do nothing else. The passenger
had the glass, and he was sweeping the
water behind US looking for anything that
might turn up. After looking in one
direction several minutes he said: There's
a sea serpent or something just off the port
quarter, and he's raising a row.
Sure enough there was a commotion in
the water and now and then big head
would rise up and flop back again with a
splash. AS the thing was headed for us we
were naturally a trife excited and waited
anxiously for the end. 1t came in few
minutes, and instead of being a sea serpent
it was big shark and he was evidently in
in trouble. His head appeared to be twice
the size Of an ordinary varmint, but his
body was so thin that if he bad had ribs
one could have counted them. We baited
big hook with piece Of beef, as we could
not find the harpoon, and dropped it over
board.
1.-The shark must have known there was
something to eat, for he dived and we
thought we had him sure. In a few minutes
there was pulling on the line and we
hauled in. There was the bait and hook,
but no fish. The shark bobbed up suddenly
right near the vessel, aud frightened US
My passenger almost had fit, and, rushing
into the cabin, he brought up Winchester.
He was a good shot, and, after banging
twice, the big fish rolled over dead. We
rugged q tackle and slung him on deck, and
got the foot rule 60 measure him. He footed
up % feet and II inches from nose to tail,
but my, he was thin! We got a knife and
went to work on him, and found that the
shark had been starved TO deatn-actually
starved to death.
He had swallowed the half of beef bar
rel and the open end was toward his mouth
II vas full OF fish and the bones OF human
being. 1t was something new to me and
determined TO find out more. We cut him
open and he was so shrunken that both
sides Of his stomach had grown together
and thus prevented the small fish which
might have escaped the barrel from enter
ing his stomach and giving him nourish-
ment. / had part OF his backbone made
into a walking cane and his mouth aud head
into q work basket for my wife,