The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-01-12
TIE EoIRLEs OF SHARKS.
They Are Gu rious About Divers. but Harm
less and Like to be scratched.

coast OF Australia They become more
numerous, larger and more voracious
The nearer we go to the equator. Pas
sengers who make ocean voyages may
often see them from the deck of their
ship but | see them in their native ele-
ment A day seldom passes when I am
at work that do not see one of these
creatures. They do not seem to recog-
nize "a diver when clad in his diving
dress as something which is good to eat.
Probably he is mistaken for some other
great sea monster, with whom the
shark would just as soon as not measure
his strength.
AT all events sharks rarely give us
any active annoyance. At first when
we go into new country, they exhibit
some curiosity. They sometimes come
and inspect us and our work. moving
slowly around us with perceptible mo-
ton, and smelling us like great dogs.
1t gives one very horrible feeling of
insecurity, assure you, when one of
these monsters of twelve or fourteen
feet runs his nose around your body.
and without even solitary "wag" of
his tail to indicate good-fellowship. The
shark will swim away right enough
when he has finished his inspection-at
least, he always has done so with me-
and, although annoying, can stand ID
now.
Sometimes, when you go down of O
morning, you will find half-a-dozen
big and little sharks, who have evil
IDENTIFY selected the site of your opera
tions as a camping-ground. This is
awkward Perhaps they have observed
the disturbance at the bottom of the
sea, and like marine constabl they
'are waiting for the fellow who made
it, to run him in" This is an awk-
ward experience, for these sharks do
not clear off and admit your claim.
They say all animals have fear of
man; but sharks cannot recognize o
man in divers costume. They neither
oppose nor assist us in our operations;
they simply ignore us. We have to be-
very careful then, walking around
about these pigs without disturbing
them.
! have occasionally used small
crow-bar as weapon and struck q
small shark on the nose when he was
annoying me with his persistency. The
shark will then turn and go off with
rush. | would not, however, like to-
try my crow-bar on a shark ten feet
long. After his rush away he might re-
turn for further investigation.
/ have had many nasty adventures
with sharks when pursuing my occupa-
ton: recollect one thing that gave me
q considerable shock. l had been en-
gagged blowing up reef of rocks so as
to enlarge little harbor on the coast.
1t was my duty to make the hole and
put In the charge of dynamite. The
after we had left off work. On going
down every morning was accustomed!
to go over to IA certain ledge which was
always IA good resting place for lob
sters. Morning after morning had in
variably found a pair or more of these
crustaceans, which sent to the sur
face in a basket.
On the morning to which now refer.
l walked straight to the ledge and ram
my hand carefully along its lower side.
/ was surprised to find my hand scrap5
ihB "ioO OOOh W OC bllC IOCh1
was surprised still more when | OBJ
served my hand cropping within foot
of the mouth of IL great shark which
had retired to rest in this cavity.
The shark must have been as much
alarmed as | was, for it made one
sprinting from its resting-place and
disappeared in the dark wall of ocean.
The shock to me was greater than I
could have believed and even yet do
not care to think about it much 1t Is
hardly necessary to say that did not
return to that ledge for Holsters for
some time.
On another occasion, fellow came
alongside me where | was working.
stopped, OF course, and stepped back
quietly to let him pass. But he did
not lie came nearer. ! then Thought
he was curious, but soon found that
another feeling than curiosity was now
ing him. AS ! retreated he still adj
vanced, until | found myself jammed
up against the rock. / could retreat no
further, and yet the brute came on de-
terminedly But instead of approaching
me with his long nose-for you don't
see his jaws-he turned his side and be-
gan to rub up against me
had small Jumper in my hand
which ] held with the point outward
against his skin, as did not wish To
have his rough skin scoring along my
dress. 1t was something like what al
cow would be rubbing against you. Tbs
iron on his skin was, however, the very
thing he waited, as he soon gave me tot
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 fresh surface to the jumper
| suppose he must have felt easier for,
the operation, for after a 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 time. | think he must have recog-
nized me as a kindly and effectuall
scratcher. | imagine he was suffering
from some parasitical or skin disease to
which he may have fallen victim.
Otherwise, | might be in that scratch
ing billet still Chambers Journal.