The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-16
A True shark story.


How very hard it is to provide for a
young, fast-growing family nowadays"
safd the mother shark, turning, for the
hundredth time that morning. upon her
broad side in order to get a better view of
what might be stirring above. For nearly
a week me had been fasting; in fact, ever
since she came in hurriedly at the close of
a great feast upon the stripped carcass of
a recent whale. There by dint of the ener-
gy of her massive shoulders, her fourteen
feet of length and fivefold rows of TRAN
gular teeth, she had managed to secure
respectable proportion of the spoil for the
replenishing of her own huge nav as well
as for the upkeep 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 vast black shadow obscured
wide, irregularly shaped area of the blaz-
ing sunshine. II was so calm that the sha-
dow seemed stationary. In the direction Of
this cool penumbra her gaze fingered earn
estly. For hereditary instinct as well as
long experience gave her the knowledge
that from the substance of such shadows
came food dropping down. varied and
toothsome, actually alive on rare occa-
sions. Somewhat impatiently she won
dered at the long time that her little blue
SO seldom absent from his place between
her eyes for whole minute that she got
quite uneasy. But while she fidgeted fret
fully, with many twitchings of her flexi-
BILE "gaff- topsail," back came the pilot
fish in a tearing hurry. Now then, part
ner, SsMe along, do There's a lump of fat
pork @Sfnost as big as your head hanging
over that ships stern / don't quite under
stand why it doesn't sink, but it is good.
l nibbled just crumb, and you can be
sure this time that it is no bagful of Gin
deTs like that nasty mouthful that gave
you the chest-ache so bad this morning"
The latter part of this energetic exordum
was lost upon mother shark, being drown
ed in the wash set up by her great tail
fin which was going in grand style, start
ing her off at such 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 an arrow to the mark went
the tiny guide, keeping just in front of his
huge friends snout. Together they swept
int the shadow, where, sure enough
mass of meat hung just below the sea sur
face, though gently lifted almost out of
water every now and then. "Oh, do look,
mamma! there's a 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"
curve latterly, a dazzling glare of white
appeared, and there beneath the speaker
was Crescentric gap in the smooth, liVid
under side, fringed with innumerable
points like chevaux-de-frise, and as big as
the gap of a coal sack. Around it the
smaller pilot circled eXcitedly at top speed.
Slowly it rose beneath the bait which the
mate is gently Stacking away there was
a gulp, and the big joint disappeared.
There was a flash, a splash and an eddy.
Then the rope attached to the sharkhook
concealed in that pork groaned over the
rail as ii felt the strain.
Lay aft the watch" roared the mate,
and amid the trampling of many feet, a
babel of directions and a tremendous tu-
mutt alongside, through the writings of
the captive monster, she was transferred
forward to the lee gangway, where, by
the aid of a stout watch-tackle, she was
hoisted out of water.
Don't take him aboard" cried the cap
tain; make such an Internal mess If you
do. Just sprisle-yard him n let him go
agen" So a piece of scantling was got
from the carpenter, pointed at both ends,
about four feet long. This they drove be-
tween her jaws from side to side Another
wedge-shaped piece was planted diagonal
ly down through her broad snout, the up
per end pointing forward. Then they cut
off the wide pectoral fms, letting the quiv-
ering carcass fall into the sea again by
the simple expedient of chopping the hook
out. What abominable cruelty" NUT
tered a gentle-faced man among the
crowding passengers, as he turned away
sick at heart. But the bustling seamen
looked pityingly at him, wondering doubt
less at his lack of sporting instincts. Thus
disabled the miserable monster plunged
bindly in uncertain directions, unable
to steer herself, unheeding the frantic
caresses of her faithful little satellite. who
. 10
up at her as she hung struggling against
the vessels side. Neither did she notice
the puzzled, wavering movements of her
wondering brood. SO she disappeared
from the view of the laughing, happy
crowd on deck. But whichever way she
rushed she always fetched up TO the sur
face promptly, because of the Vane in her
head Thus for a day and a night she
fought aimlessly with all the forces OF
amazing vitality pent up In her huge
body against these torturing disablements,
until mercifully she fell i'm with a couple
of ravenous congeners. Seeming 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 assist
ance came from all quarters, and a motley
multitude of various hungry ones cleaned
up every shred of the welcome banquet
leaving only the deserted pilot to seek an
other partner
You needn't tell me-" said the mer-
chant, as the clerk entered the office. "that