The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-01
PLENTY OF SHARKS.
The Southeast Coest Of FloriAa Infested
This Year.

V0o U0oe00o0t Coast or E1ot10o x21ooSoo
This Year.
That part Of the Atlantic which beats
upon the southeast coast Of Florida il
infested with shark. 1t Is probably the
'sharkiest" water at this season il the
world. Folks who have dwelt for years
in the jungles of soft palmetto and on
the savanlahs Of saw grass that stretch
inland from the shell-strewn beach, in
commenting on the more than plenti-
tude of sharks, Say: II never seen the
like afore."
The blue sweIls that roll landward
and pound themselves :nto heecy.
frenzied surf TEEN with this cruel fish.
The white shark. the baskng shark,
the hammer-headed shark and other
members Of the elasmo branchiete
family are there.
From Jupiter inlet to Hillsboro' in
let they may be seen outside the break
ers, in the breakers and inside the
breakers. This season they are 20 nu-
merous and vicious that the strongest
swimmers and the sseutest-hesrted sea
dogs along that p&rt Of the coast will
not venture into the sea further than
knee-deep water. Even where this pre-
caution has been taken casualties have
been reported. It was only few days
ago that the son of Capt. Collins. of the
Jupiter lHe-saving station, lost foot
by shark bite while standing in the surf.
He would probably hove been killed had
not companion plunged bowie knife
into the fish.
The mail from the north for Miami,
Cocoanut Grove and other settlements
at the south end of the peninsula used
to be carried from Palm Beach by a
lone carrier, who followed the beach
and crossed the inlets in small boats.
This was before the opening of the
East Coast railroad. It was just about
one year ago that this lone carrier lef,
Palm Beach on his last trip. A few days
later the hehtseeper at Hillsboro' inlet
found the carriers small boat bottom
upward On the beach. The man was
never after beard from. There had been
no foul weather, ard the settlers re-
fusd to believe that The casrisr had
either absconded or had been killed
by bandits. The gunwaIe OF the small
boat showed that il had been gnawed
By strong. sharp teeth. A broken oar
was later picked up on TIE sound. The
ightkeeper reported cha. Thousands CT
sharks were in the inlet and that they
were uncommonly bold and excited.
The fnsts Of human blood mnidens
these ish. The old settlers feel that
they know about how the mail carrier
net death.
This season r7At schools of blueSSh.
snappers and saltwater mullets have
appeared Of tbs coast Of Florida. and
these have sttrarced untold Thousands
of shark from The warm water Of the
gulf stream. which at that part Of the
coast flows rortlIwsrd about four miles
from shore. One may stand on the
beach and throw shells at the monsters
ss they pursue their prey. Rife balls
seem TO have little eject on a shark.
Fat pork. big hook. strong lire and
stout arm is the best wav TO kill one.
Several times this fall sharks have
been seen in the Biscayns cana. which
was recently OFT through from Lsse
Worth TO Biseayne bay. Bot the shark
DDS 10 comfort there. u is the home
o. the good old alligator. and Ne reslsts
intrusion Every seJf-rexpec;irg gator
VIII tackle shark On sight-Wa-sing-
soo Star.