The Washington times., 1894-05-21
Secure Part I---NoW Ready.
THE KAN-EATING SHARK.
Demon OF the Deep That Haunts tn
Waters Near San Francisco.

A Demon OF the Deep That Haunts the
Waters Near San Francisco.
"The black fish! That is what we call
him. exclaimed Antonia Nicolas, the fisher
man. as he shuddered with superstitious
horror. "He lives at Point Reyes, and next
month We will try and catch him. he is
| thirty feet long, and he looks like a small
whale, he is so fat. He has been there long
time, and we always see him when We go
there"
In company with two or three others,
says the San Francisco Examiner, he Is
determined to hunt and destroy q monster OF
the sea that makes the fishermen's lives a
burden at Point Reyes. For forty years
'.Black Jack" as they call the great shark,
has ravaged the vicinity of Point Reyes.
watching for human blood. He is OF the man
eating species and occasionally gets an appe-
tiZer in the shape OF bits Of fisher flesh. 1t Is
very seldom that a man-eating shark gets as
far north as San Francisco. as they prefer the
warmth Of the tropic waters.
In the clear waters OF San Jose de Guate-
mala there may he seen at any time Of day
'.San Jose Joe," the twehty-foot shark that
is sole monarch of those waters, but "Black
Jack" is large parsonage, and OF the same
species. The Bay of Panama is alive with
these demons. Swimming there is impossible.
i uele are many Oh the ordinary SIG IN Acd-
pulco. and it is said that San Diego is occa-
sionally visited by them. But ''Black jack
towers above them all with ferocious majesty.
He was first seen in the early flfties by pioneer
fishermen. and somewhere in the sixties COB
bled n Neapolitan who was upset just OF the
rocks by the surf. Since then he has had his
ominous cognomen. and has been regarded as
an object of menacing fury.
few weeks ago. just after the first Janu-
ary storm, ''tenderfoot" fisherman hap
pened to let his feet dangle over the side Of
his boat, when suddenly there was q swift
rush in the waves, the unfortunate man lost
part of his toes and a large bit OF rubber boot.
Nicolas was in the boat at the time, and he
joined in the oath Of revenge which was
sworn by his comrades then and there.
But every two or three years in the past
man has lost leg or hand through care
lessness of this sort, and this was by no
means the first time. Whenever boat seeks
the comparative shelter which bend in the
shore near the main point affords "Black
Jack" is sure to heave in sight and lurk about
until his greed Is either satisfied or disap-
pointed.
But BLACK Jack" does not conflne his at
tentions to this point alone. for frequently he
races up as far rs Russian Gulch, or even
Timber Cove. When a schooner was wrecked
five years ago at the former place the monster
reveled in the disaster. and two Of the bodies
that were washed ashore had been deprived
of arms and legs, and even a head-all OF
which crimes were laid at the door of the big
shark.
At Timber Cove on a quiet day, when the
currents are waving the long kelp to and fro
lazily, the ugly, shining, black fin Of Jack
may be discerned from the high blufY above,
scattering stray seals In terror to their hiding
places.
The Morgan boys, who own magnificent
-lutn nhNn 80 &b<
dangerous reefs and shoals along this forbid
ding coast. They have often seen "Black
jack" and know his haunts too well. How
ever, he has never bothered them, SO they do
not stop to bother him. Henry Raschen, the
artist, who makes his studio in that part of
the country. has taken shots at the shark
twice with his Winchester, but as he was high
up on the big cliff at Rose reef his work was
not effectual.
Antonio Nicolas says that twice in his
knowledge men have lost their hands in the
night time when their 3oats were hove too
close to Point Reyes. These men had simply
dipped their arms into the water too far. As
it is. no one ventures to haul up bucket of
sea water save with the use of q good rope.
The unpleasant sense of the sharks near
ness is never-failing source OF suspense to
the fishermen there as they try to sleep in
their little boats at night, and the idea that
any mishap may the next moment make them
a feast for his ferocious NAV is decidedly re-
voting.
Their present plan of action is to lash four
great iron hooks together, grappel fashion,
back to back. and bait them with great mass
OF flesh. This. attached by heavy line to
large buoy, will be their weapon. When the
shark swallows the flesh, hooks and all. they
will take an ardent delight in watching his
frantic endeavors to free himself. II they
are successful in his destruction they will
turn his corpse over to one of the tugs or fish,
ing steamers to be towed into the market at
Fishermans wharf. They state that it would
be impossible to handle the battle from their
OWL slight craft.