The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-02
SHARKS LIKE TO BE SCRATCHED
The Startling Experience of a Diver at
Work on the Australian Coast.

The Startling Experience OF a Diver at
Work on the Australian Coast.
"Sharks are very common all along the
coast of Australia. They become more nu-
merous, larger and more voracious the
nearer we go to the equator. Passengers
who make ocean voyages may often ses them
from the deck Of the ship, but don't see them
In their native clement said diver to a
writerin Chambers Journal "a day seldom
passes when l am at work that do not see
some of these creatures. They do not seem
to recognize q diver when clad in his
diving dress as something which is
good to eat. Probably be is mistaken
for some other great sea monster
with which the shark would just as soon
aud not measure his streGgth. AT ali events,
sharks rarely glveus any active annoyance.
AT first when We go into a new country
they exhibit some curiosity. They some
times come and inspect US at our work
moving slowly around US with perceptible
motion and smelling US like great dogs 1t
gives me q very horrible feeling OF inse-
curltY, assure you, when one of those
monsters II or IA feet long ruus his nose
around your body, and without even q soli-
tary @ag of his tail to indicate good fellow
ship. The shark will swim away right
enough when he has hnished his inspection
at least he has always done so with me-
aud. although annoying, 1 can stand it
now.
Sometimes when you 90 down of a
morning you will ind half dozen big and
little sharks who have evidently selected the
site of your operations as a camping ground
This is awkward Perhaps they have OBJ
served the disturbance at the bottom OF II @
sea, and, like marine coustables. they are
waiting for the fellow who make it 30 run
him in This is an awkward experience,
for these sharks do no5 clear off and admit
your claim. They say all animals are afraid
OF man. out sharks cannot recognize a man
In a divers costume. They neither oppose
nor assist US IL our Operations-they simply
ignore us. We have TO be- very careful then
walking around about these pigs without
disturbing them. l have occasionally used
small crowbar as q weapon and struck q
small shark on the nose when he was au-
noylng me with his persistency. The shark
will then turn and 60 off with a rush
would not, however, like to try my crow
bar on a shark ten feet long. After bis rush
ne might return for further investigation.
II have had many nasty adventures with
sharks when pursuing my occupation.
recollect one that gave me considerable
shock. had been engaged blowing up a
reef Of rocks 80 eS to enlarge 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
n
every morning | was accustomed to 20 over
to certain ledge which was always q good
resting place for Holsters. Morning after
morning l had invariably found pair or
more Of these crustaceans which / sent to
TO the surface in a basket. On the
morning to which l now refer 1 walked
straight to the ledge and ran my
hand carefully along its lower side. / was
surprised to find my hand scraping what l
supposed to be the rock. but was surprised
still more when | observed my hand CROPPING
within foot Of the mouth of a great shark
which had retired TO rest in this civity
The shark must have been as much alarmed
as / was, for it made one spripting from it's
resting place and disappeared 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 it muco. II is
hardly necessary to say that l did not re-
turn to that ledge for Holsters for some
y