The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-08-05


Australian Man ,,atcrs ana rhsir Mcthoa
Of Attack.
''The northwestern coast OF Australia
ehirty-five years ago was land seldom
visited by the whites, and by these
only from vessels touching at isolated
points along the coast, as IN the case
Df the whalers, writes an old sailor.
No white settler was to be found In all
that region. The aboriginal tribes
alone roamed over it's desolate waste;
no European had a. that time crossed
that continent, either from east to
west or from north to south, the CEN
trail and northwestern portion Of ths
continent being sparsely populated by
the natives of the country, who stand
the lowest in the scale of humanity OF
all the savage tribes have ever en-
countered.
"The North American Indian, the
digger of California, the Esquimau of
the far north, the Inhabitants of the
South Sea islands, all built themselves
some kind of habitation and made
some attempt at clothing their bodies.
H. seems the natives of Terra del
Fuego most nearly approached them in
degradation.
"These people roamed the desolate
plains adjacent to this coast, clothed in
natures garb, and lying down to sleep
wherever they might be when night
overlook them. No implement of iron
was seen among them. Their weapons
were made entirely Of wood-a hard
wood spear with the points hardened
by charring in the fire. this being used
by hand or throwing board, and the
boomerang Were their principal wea-
pons.
During the years of 1s57-59 had
many opportunities of observing the
habits of these people, and their mode
of defending themselves from the at
tacks of the ferocious sharks which are
found in the shallow waters of this
region in immense numbers, being Pc
culiar to these tribes alone, are de-
serving of description.
Having no boats, these natives are
able to visit islands lying several miles
from the main land, also ships at an
chor, their aid to navih alton being .
small log Of driftwood. They usually
select one three or four feet long and
say eighteen inches in diameter this
being rolled to the water, the native
seats himself thereon with legs and
feet straight out before him. His weight
entirely submerging the log, and using
his hands for paddles away he goes.
'The sharksin these waters are so
ferocious they often seized our oars
when rowing, yet these natives launch
the little craft into the shark-infested
sea, their only weapons being few
straight, tough sticks, little large,
than lead pencil, from twelve to
eighteen inches in length, sharp point.
ed at the ends. The log protects the
person of the native from attack from
| beneath, and the shark can only ap
proach at the side, and as he range.
! alongside the log looking for a chance
(, to seize his prey, the native with q
skilful thrust of the little stick stabs
the monster in the gills. This is the
vital point to strike shark.
81 have seen them cut with whale
spade across the belly in such a manner
that their entrails protruded ant
dragged behind them, yet not ceasine
ing by the ship, and yet slight Gu
across the gills of the largest would
turn him from his meal with coun
tenance so full of woe as to touch tn
heart of any one except sailor, AM
casting look of reproach at it's human
tormentor it dives into the depths O
the ocean.
''A shark struck in the gills never re
news 4he fight. This fact being know
to the native, he has no fear of the re
turn of the monster after wound il
this vital spot therefore, when tn
shark turns away, the native replace
the little spear in his hair and paddle
along with as little concern as if h
had killed fly.
''The appetite of the shark is some
thing wonderful. One specimen take
by us and examined contained in it
stomach one barrel of blubber from
whale recently killed by us, one an
one-half barrels of lean from the sam
source, the crown or upper shell of
green turtle eighteen inches across
: the partially digested remains of fou
sea snakes, which are very venomou
: and the bite of which is most deadly I
mani the bones of various fishes, tn
beaks of cutie fish and two sea fowls
'shags' devoured. In add
! ton 70 the above, the liver filed
forty-fve-gallon cask, and thirty-tw
!. young sharks were found in the bell
with the egg-like attachment by whic
. the young is nourished in the belly {
: it's mother. These young fish we,
o about fourteen inches in length an
y rather slender in body.
SIT is we'll known that the young
! the shark is born fully developed, an
% under the instruction of its mother,
: soon able to forage for itself and pre-
y upon the smaller fishes.
: SIT is often stated that the sha,
- must turn belly up to seize it's pre-
= This is simply nonsense. The shal
y takes its bite in any position, ar
" when fastened to the object, with
" few vigorous strokes of its powerf
- tail it so twists its body that the stror
. serrated teeth soon cut through IL
- toughest substance. Smaller bodi
- are swallowed whole like the turf
~ above mentioned.
~ 1.-THE movements of the shark a
10 sluggish, and it views it's prey with
"a suspicious eye unless the object is f
i. miliar to its sight, or blood be folio,
Q ing; in the last case the shark awakel
le to instant activity and rushes to Il
= conflict with vigor.
"rhat shark is capable of rap