Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-03
PLENTY OF SHARKS.
The Southeast Coast of Florida Infested
This Year

MS ear.
That part OF the Atlantic which beats
upon the southeast coast of Florida IL
infested with sharks. writes Il Linton
correspondent of the Washington Star.
1t is probably the ''sharkiest" water Mt
this season in the world. Folks who
have dwelt for years in the jungles OF
soft palmetto AMI on the savannahs OF
saw grass that stretch inland from the
shell-strewn beach, In commenting on
the more than plenitudc OF sharks,
say: Il never seen the like afOre."
The blue swclls that roll landward
and pound themselves into feecy. fren-
zied surf teen with this cruel fish. The
white shark. the basking shark. the
halnmerheaded shark and other mem
bors Of the clasmo branchiate family
are there.
From Jupiter inlet TO lfillsboro' inlet
they may be seen outside the breakers,
In the breakers and inside the breakers.
This season they are so numerous and
vicious that the strongest swimmers
and the stoutest-hearted sea dogs along
that part of the coast will not venture
into the sea further than knee-deep
wafer. Even where this precaution
has been taken casualties have been
reported. 1t was only few days ago
that the son of Captain Collins of the
Jupiter life-saving station lost n foot
by shark bite while standing in the
surf. lie would probably have been
killed had not a companion plunged a
bowie knife into the fish.
The mail from the north OF Miami.
Cocoanit Grove and other settlements
at the south end of the peninsula used
TO he carried from Palm Beach by n
lone carrier. who followed the beach
AMI crossed the inlets i'm small boats.
This was before the opening of the
East Coast railroad. 1t was just about
one year ago that this lone carrier left
Palm Beach on his last trip. A few
days later the lightkceper ut llillsboro'
inlet found the carriers small boat bot
tom upward OH the beach. The man
was never after heard from. There
had been no foul weather and the set
tiers refused To believe that the carrier
had either absconded or had been
killed by bandits. The gunwale of the
small boat showed that il had been
gnawed by strong. sharp teeth. a
broken oar was later picked up on the
sound. The lightkceper reported That
thousands of sharks were In the inlet
and that they were uncommOnly bold
and excited. The taste of human blood
maddens these fish. The old settlers
feel that they know about how the mail
carrier met death.
This season vast schools OF bluetish.
snappers and salt water mullets have
appeared off the coast or Florida, and
these have attracted untold thousands
Of shark from the warm water OF the
gulf stream, which ut that part Of the
coast flows northward about four miles
from shore. One may stand on the
beach and throw shells ut the monsters
as they pursue their prey. Rife balls
seem To have little effect on a shark.
Fat pork. a big hook. strong line and Il
stout arm is the best way to kill one. =
Several times this fall sharks have
been seen in the Bscayne canal, which
was recently cut through from Lake
Worth to Biscayne Bay. But the shark
finds no comfort there. Ii is the home
of the good old alligator. and he resists
intrusion Every self-respecting gator
will tackle shark OH sight.