The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-24
A TRUE SHARK STORY.

of what might be stirring above. For ! nearly a week she had been fasting; in fact, ever since she came in hurriedly | at the close of a great feast upon the l stripped carcass of a recent whale. l There, by dint of the energy of her massive shoulders, her fourteen feet of length, and fve-fold rows of triangular teeth, she managed to secure a respec- table proportion of the spoil for the re- plenishing of her own huge maw ss well as for tn up-keep of the fourteen shark lings that were now restlessly darting in and out of their cosey cave at the far end of her capacious throat,
 Within the immediate range of her glance a vast black shadow obscured wide, irregularly shaped area of the bazing sunshine. It was so calm that the shadow seemed stationary. In the direction of this cool penumbra her gaze fingered earnestly. For hereditary in- stinct as well as long experience gave her the knowledge that from the sub stance of such shadows came food drop ping down, varied and toothsome, ac- tually alive on rare occasions. Some what impatiently she wondered at the long time that her little blue and gold attendant had been gone He was so seldom absent from his place between 1 her eyes for a whole minute that she got quite uneasy. But while she fidget- ed fretfully, with many tWitchings of her flexible 'gaff-topsail," back came i the pilot-f1sh in a tearing hurry. Now then partner, move along, do. There's lump of fat pork almost as big as your head hanging over that ships stern. l don't quite understand why it doesn't sink, but it is good. I nibbled just crumb, and you can be sure this time that it is no bagful of cinders like that nasty mcuthful that gave you the chest ache SO bad this morning" The latter part of this energetic eXordium was lost upon mother shark, being drowned in the wash set up by her great tail fin, which was going in grand style, i starting her off at such a rate that two or three stragglers of the family had to skip like shrimps to get indoors before they were left behind and lost
 Straight as an arrow to the mark went the tiny guide, keeping just in front of his huge friends snout To- gether they swept into the shadow where, sure enough, mass of meat hung just below the sea surface, though gently lifted almost out of water every now and then. oh, do look mamma, there's big fish. Is he going to eat up that pretty little one. do you think?' "Oh, no, my little man." struck in the mate, but you watch him now" As he spoke the great gray body took a curve l2tterly, dazzling glare of White appeared. and there beneath the speaker was a crescentic gap in the smooth, llvid under side, fringed with innumera ble points like chevaux- de frise, and as big as the gap of a coal sack. Around it the small pilot circed eXcitedly at top speed. Slowly it rose beneath the bait, which the mate as gently slaclled away, there was a gulp, and the big joint disappeared There was a flash. 8 splash, and an eddy Then the rope attached to the shark hook concealed in that pork groaned over the rail as it felt the strain.
 Lay aft the watch" rOared the mate, and amid the trampling of many feet, babel of directions, and tremen- dous tunult alongside, through the writings of the captive monster she was transferred forward to-, the lee gangWay, where, by the aid of stout Watch-tackle, she was hoisted out of water
 Don't take him aboard" cried the captain; make such an internal mess if you do. Just spritsle-yard him n let him go agen" So a piece of scant- ling was got from the carpenter, pointed at both ends. about four feet long. This they drove between her jaws from side to side. Another wedge-shaped piece was planted diagonally down through her broad snout, the upper end pointing forward Then they cut off the wide pectOral fins, letting the quivering carcass fall into the sea again by the simple expadient ot choppin2 the hook out. What abominable cru city" muttered gentle-faced man among the croWding passengers, as he turned away sick at heart But the bustling seamen looked pityingly at him, wondering doubtless at his lack of sporting instincts. Thus disabled the miserable monster plunged blindly in uncertain directions, unable to steer herself, unheeding the frantic caresses of her faithful little satellite, who had almost exhausted himself by leaping up at her as she hung struggling against the vessels side Neither did she mo- tice the puzzled, Wavering movements of her wondering brood. So she dsap- peared from the view of the laughing happy crowd on deck. But whichever way she rushed she aWays fetched up to the surface promptly, because of the vane in her head. Thus for a day and night she fought aimlessly with all the forces of amazing vitality pent up in her huge body against these tortur- ing disablements, until mercifully she fell in with a couple of ravenous con- geners. Scenting fresh blood. they made for her straightway. Like mad things they fell upon her. Long and hard they strove, tearing their way through the tough framework until as. sistance came from all quarters, and a motley multitude of various hungry ones cleaned up every shred of the wei. come banquet leaving only the deserted pilot to seek another partner.-London Spectator
 SHE SMOKED WITH THE DRIVER
 When I came out on my regular trir Inc Ot ther morning" " relates tho Tac