New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-04
CATCHING A SHARK.
AFTER RECEIVING DOZEN SHOTS FROM WIN
CHESTER RIFLE 1T WAS STILL ALIVE

AFTER RECEIVING A DOZEN SHOTS FROM WIN
CHESTER RIFLE 1T WAS STILL ALIVE
TORN IN PIECES BY ITS FELLOWS.
For nearly forty-eight hours the ship had lazy
rolled in the long swels OF the Pacific abou; three
miles off shore near little town In Central Ameri-
ca" said traveller from that part OF the world
the other day 1.-The sharks had become very friend
" and would swim sluggishly about the vessel.
sometimes rubbing familarly against its sides.
The passengers, however had grown tired OF watch
ing them as well weary LOOMING at the coffee.
coffee coffee. which the natives were loading into
the ship from barges alongside.
But on the afternoon OF the second day the gen
eral languor was somewhat dispeled by the appear
ance on deck OF the purser with a shark line. The
passengers gathered around the stern OF the vessel
while the purser arranged his tackle The line was
about Nve-eghths OF inch In thickness and 100
feet long The hook the end seemed large enough
10 hold a whale but IT was none too stout. as was
subsequently shown.
Next 10 the hook piece OF chain about
eighteen inches IN length. Six feet from the hook
was piece of wood large enough to float the hook
and chain, and at intervals Of forty or nifty feet
were three other pieces OF wood. to keep the rope
near the top Of the water. After fastening enough
FISH on the hook 10 make a meal for several mod
erately sized families. the purser threw 1t over
board.
THE hook loated slowly away from the vessel II
being kept about six feet from the surface OF the
water by the first piece Of wood Tho water was 50
clear however, that the fish the hook could be
seen plainly from our position on deck
The hook had been in the water only ten or NJ
teen minutes when two or three small sharks gath
cred around and seemed to be eying the tempting
bait sharply None OF them deigncd TO touch II.
however Finally big tiger. or man-"ating
shark tho largest one we had seen that day. APP
peared and began nosing about the bait He swan
by 1t once rubbing his side against the fish. He
came back a moment later, and rubbed against the
bait again. Then he turned quicker than usual.
made straight for the bait turned on his side and
took fish, hook and part of the chain into his mouth
and started toward the bottom with them.
The purser gave the line a hard jerk TO fasten
the hook In the sharks jaw.
Zip, buzz! how that line did cut through tho
water when the hook pricked the shark!
THE purser took turn around the rail with the
line and maid II out slowly until the shark had three
hundred and nifty four hundred feet at its dis
posa Then he made II fast The shark. finding 1t
could not break the line, tried new tactics II swan
toward the ship and tried TO spit out the hook. But
II was too firmly fastened in Its mouth for that.
and the shark approached the purser took up the
slack line and made II fast when the shark started
to swim away again
This manoeuvre was tried several times, ana
finally the shark within ten or twenty feet or
the vessel. Slowly the distance was shortened until
IT almost directly under the stern OF the snip.
Then as the vessel went down In the trough OF
n
up and made fast again. When the vessel rose on
the top OF the swell the head OF the shark was two
or three feet out OF water We had good view
OF II by this time so far size was concerned he
a splendid specimen. weighing. the purser esti-
mated. from l. 100 TO 600 pounds. 1t was OF the
striped, or man ting species known sometimes az
tiger sharks.
1.-THE purser brought out Winchester r'ne
OF large bore. and when the ship raised the shark
out OF water he fred two shots into his head ana
down mis- throat. Some of the passengers Expressed
messed what followed shortly afterward all such
feelings had departed. 49,
THE purser fired at least dozen shots into dif-
ferent parts OF the shark, but II was still alive Inc
blood flowed freely from the wounds. however. and
colored the water In streak for several hundred
feet away from the ship
After little while one then two. and finally a
dozen sharks OF all sizes came swimming toward
the ship. following that streak OF blood They ar
their companion hanging on the line for some time.
one big one came TO the surface and the purser
shot hitting the newcomer Just back OF the hcad.
The shark started as person would on being
slapped on the back by a friend. took one turn
about and returned to an inspection OF his brother
hanging from the stern OF the ship.
THE shot from the rife did not seem to deter him
In the least After brushing against his helpless
companion twice he turned nearly over on his back
OF the tail OF the member OF his own species that
was SIN alive but unable to help himself One OF
ugly looking knife and cut out the hook in the cap
tves mouth at this point and he was allowed 10
drop down into the water His doom was see,ead
In and literally tore him in pieces Some OF the
ladies' ., could not watch the sight; ..,,s h,r,,.
-, the use 81 sympatn,snS same thing
himself many times. probably. They are no use,
anyway and live by killing nsh which are Of some
use to mankind "