The morning call., 1893-03-12
SHARKS AND THEIR WAYS.
Curious About Divers and They Like
TO Be Scratched.


Sharks are very common all along the
coast of Australia. They become more
numerous. larger and more voracious the
nearer we 90 to the equator. Passengers
who make ocean voyages may often see
them from the deck of the ship, but l see
them in their native element, says a diver
a day seldom passes when | am at work
| that do not see some Of these creatures
They do not seem to recognize 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 which
the shark would just as soon not measure
his strength.
At all events sharks rarely give us any
| active annoyance. Al first when we 20 into
| neT country they exhibit some curiosity
| They sometimes come and inspect us and
our woIk. moving slowly around US with
peTceptible motion and smelling us like
| great dogs. 1t gives one a very horrible
| feeling OF insecurity, l assure you, when
| one OF those monsters twelve or fourteen
feet long runs his nose around your body,
! and without even a solitary ''wag" of his
tail TO indicate good fellowship. The shark
Will swim away right enough when he has
| finished his inspectOn-at least he has al
ways done so with me-and, although an
nOying, | can stand it now.
Sometimes when yOu 90 down OF morn
ing you will find half a dozen big and little
sharks who have evidently selected the site
| OF your operations as a camping ground
This is awkward. Perhaps they have op-
served he disturbance at the bottom Of the
sea aud, Ike marine cOnstableS they "are
waiting for the fell W who made 1t to run
him In. This is an awkward experience
for these sharks do not clear off and admit
your claim. They say all animals have
fear OF man, but sharks cannot recognize
man in a divers costume. They neither
oppose nor assist Us IN our UpeTatiOns-they
simply ignore us. We have TO be very care
ful then, walking around about these pigs
without disturbing them.
L have occasionally used small crOwbar
as a weapon. ana struck a small shark on
the nose when he was annoying me with his
peTsistency, The shark will then turn and
go off with a rush.. l would not, however.
like to try my crowbar on a shark ten feet
long. After his rush away he might return
| for further lnyes tgatiOn.
| have had many nasty adventures with
sharks when pursuing my occupation. |
| recolect one that gave nle a considerable
|. shock. had been engaged blowing up a
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 charge was exploded in the evening
after We left of work. On going down
every morning l was accustome ed to 20 over
| to a certain ledge which was always a good
resting place for Holsters. Morning after
| morning l had invariably found pair or
more of these crustaceaHs which sent to
the surface in a basket.
On the morning TO which l now refer
walked straight to the ledge and ran NV
hand carefully along its lower side. / was
surprised to find my hanG scraping what l
took 10 be the rock, but l was surprised still
more when | observed my hand groping
within a loot OF the mouth Of a great shark
which had retired to rest in the cavity.
The shark must have been as much
alarmed as L was for it made one sprinting
from its resting place and disappeared in
was greater than l could have believed, and
even yet do not care to think about it
! much. 1t is hardly necessary to say that 1
did not return TO that ledge for Holsters for
some time.