The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-27
CAUGHT WITH GOLD.
BUT TIE NAN EATING SHARK TOOK
$4,000 OF THE BAIT.

of the Yarn.
suppose" Quoth james L. Gaulin
o. Winchester, Mass, who was sitting
OH tho hotel veranda, "that had the
honor OF killing tho most valuable fish
mat ever swan tho seas. 1 did it single
handed too. l aver that this fish was
worth moro ut tho time of it's death than
INC finest sperm whale that was ever
hrpooned, although wo should really
leave whales out of the question when
speaking of fish. 1t was 30 years ago,
and l was young and foolish enough to
10 deep sen diver. Our diving schooner
ana crew had been sent to Cuba to try
to recover some stuff from Spanish
neat that had foundcred off the coast of
Cuba, just where | don't now recollect.
II was quito q long trip for us, and as
tho employment of Il diving outfit was
III expensive thing in those days tho
boys knew that there must be something
pretty valuable i'll tho hold of the wreck
was quite close to our skipper, and he
told mo that there We're several boxes of
gold coin i'll the wreck. On our arrival
mt the port near where the wreck lay in
OF the sunllcn schooner told us some
thing more surprising. 1t was that tho
gold had not been slowed in boxes III
the cabin, rs was usual, but for some
reason had been bagged and placed in
the hold, being billed as copper washers
This was probably Il scheme to avoid
any chance of the spirit of cupidity aris-
ing i'll the crew, for the treasure was
very great.
AS the confidential man, l was Sc
lectcd to go down first and find tho mon
cy bags, attach lines to them and have
them taken out before the other divers
should proceed with the work Of taking
out the otlier freight that the water had
not harmed. Twas soon in the hold and
was surprised to find that the bags We're
only little distance from the liole in
the side that had caused tho schooner to
founder. / had been told that there
would be ~ bags, but 1 could lay my
hands on but IL of them. Finally
spied torn bag lying near the hole i'll
the hull, and on picking it up discover
ed that it contained Il few gold coins. L
decided that tho heavy triple sacking
had been torn open i'll some way or 9TH
or when the schooner sank / fastened
lines about tho II bags that were intact.
and had them hoisted, aftorward going
up for air, for our apparatu; was not
very good.
In q few minutes I returned TO tho
hold 10 search for the scattered coins
Very few Of them were III sight. 1t oc-
Cured 10 nc that they might havo beer
washed outside tho boat, Judging from
the position of the wreck and the fact
that the hold was far down toward the
ships bottom. Twas about to crawl out
of tho holo when remembered that it
might hazard tho air pipe, so 1 was
pulled up and let down again over the
vessels side. l was disappointed not to
find any indication of the gold near the
hole i'll the schooner. but set to worl,
digging resolutcly III the sand. | had
gone but 4 foot down when struck the
gold pieces all i'll IL lump. picked out
IL great handful and turned tho Light Oh
them, for L was ~ lover Of gold then,
even Though it did not belong to me.
Just then | saw something that
made tho rubber helmet rise from my
head. 1t was Il man eating shark l
laGn t Thought of ono in so long tina: |
had neglected TO bring my knife. 1t was
rushing at me. The stupid creature
never stopped to consider that with IA
rubber and lead dressing diver makes
poor lunch. l was lneeling beside the
gold At the sharks onslaught natural
ly hung to tho handful of gold as though
to use it rs Il weapon. He turned on his
side, opening his horrible mouth. A
feeling of grim humor had come over
me. The cruel goldbugs had sent me
down here to be devoured, after saving
thousands &C dollars for them. Il w6fild
be spcndthrift at tho last. So with all
my force I flung the heavy handful of
coin into tho yawning mouth.
"The shark must have Thought it was
Il part Of me, for he snapped his jaws
over tho golden morsel. I am satisfied
tl.at ne broke some teeth. He swan
back a little, and then rushed at me
SO again flung into the hideous NAV
enough To buy me Il homo in New Eng
Land. l saw him snap and swallow it.
Again and again was the attack repeat
ed and as often did hurl gold into the
sharks throat Pretty SOON he became
dizzy, as 1t Werc, for tho gold had un-
balanced him, settling in the forward
part Of his body Then he writhed in
agony, and had to keep lodging his
furry. Then. with one terrible shudder,
he sank TO the bottom, weighted down
by the gold. l tied line about him and
then gave tho signal to DO pulled up.
Then 1 helped hoist the shark. We cut
him OPEN. Gentlemen, you must take
~ Of on, Il