Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-05-15
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

Colorado An Extraordinary Ordeal.
'Talk about your shark hunters in
the South Pacific Islands," remarked
the old traveller, but remember see
ing an encounter with one of those
long -toothed gentry that for cool nerve
beat anything l ever read about
II was loating around Calcutta one
day, late in the autumn, waiting for
the evening train up to the city of HUI
gil, when 1 heard a tremendous shout
ing coming from the direction of the
river Hugh, which is practically one of
the mouths of the Ganges. Trotting
over to the shore as fast as white
man ever travels in India, saw huge
comnotion Natives were hurrying
away from the bank as if in terror and
then running back as if their curiosity
had overcome their greatest fears. The
river was full of boats. The occupants
of the larger ones were screaming with
excitement, while those in the small
ones were shrieking and jabbering with
u considerable amount of fear.
81 soon discovered that the fuss had
been created by large shark which
had come up with the tide and had
ventured a little further than it was
customary for sharks to do. His dor
sal fin was cutting the water here and
there and when occasionally he turned
on his back and sent his nose and
grinning teeth above the water groans
and screams of horror went up in all
directions. His sharkship was evil
IDENTIFY out for supper and was casting
longing glances at the succulent Hin
doc babies, of whom considerable
number were in sight.
"In the midst of all the hubbub a
tall, lank Hindoo stepped out upon the
roof of kind of houseboat and in a
short speech announced that he would
catch the shark.
Instantly dead hush fell upon the
multitude. The Hindoo stood erect.
He was armed only with long rope
like a lariat, which he held behind his
back with his left hand.
presently Mr.. Shark came to the
surface about eight yards from the boat
and Immediately the Hindoo plunged
overheard.
"a chorus of groans and exclama-
tions went up, in the midst of which
the Hindoo reappeared, swimming with
his right hand. Man and shark faced
each other, and L fancied that I saw a
pleased expression in the monsters
eye as much as to say: We'll, this is
civil, to say the least.
''The shark evidently thought he had
a cinch on the situation, for he swan
leisurely towards the Hindoo, turned
slowly upon his back, and opened his
mouth. The mouth closed with snap,
and the people screamed, but the Hin
doc had dived, and presently he ap-
peared again on the offside of the
shark, smiling and still carrying his
rope:
1.-THE big fish looked surprised, and
then made another gentle dab at the
Hindoo. The result was the same, and
Mr.. Hindoo came up fresh for the third
round.
"Then the shark began to grow
angry, and made vicious run at the
Hindoo, and again he missed. The
people on shore and in the boats began
to feel confidence in the human cham
pion and their groans were changed to
applause. Every time the man made
a point against the fish those heathens
would send up rousing cheer.
"Well, by this time the thing was
getting exciting. I never saw such
swimming before, and I never will
again. The man was regular water
snake. He lodged, twisted, dived and
jumped like an eel. The fish made
charge after charge. Once his fin
grazed the Hindoo's arm, and the water
was colored with blood. The man s
stock went down point, but it soon
rose again, when the crowd began to
see that the fish simply wasn't in it.
The man was beating him at his own
game. You see the fish could only go
in one direction-s straight ahead like
an arrow-while the man turned and
doubled like fox.
"Well, by and bye the exertion and
excitement told on the monster. He
got ratified, churned the river into
foam, and then became quiet again.
At this moment, the Hindoo faced him
again. 1t was the last round.
"The shark charged languidly. The
man waited, lying in the water until
the great mouth was open to seize him.
Then, with convulsive backward leap,
he Strengthened his body and sank feet
downward, like plummet of lead.
''The shark settled down over him,
lashing the water into lather of foam.
They seemed to be graphing with each
other. The crowd groaned and
screamed, and then became silent
"For the space of what seemed an
hour, the people watched the surface
of the water, until even the bubbles
had disappeared, and all was quiet.
"'Lost, lost! screamed a priest, and
the mob re-echoed the cry and began
to beat their breasts like lot of mad.
men. Then suddenly, in the middle
of it all, the Hin9oo reappeared, thirty
yards up the stream. Both hands were
above his head, and he was screaming
Tan, tan, tan! He had slipped the
moose of his lariat around the shark
tail, and drawn it taut; and he held the
free end in his hand.
''In an instant it was ashore, and {
score of Hindoos were drawing at it
1t took them half an hour to get Mr.
Shark ashore, for he pulled like loco
motive, but they finally managed it
He proved to be nine feet long, ant
sold for sum which enabled his cap
tor to live in comfort for nearly half ,
year."
A Snake Under His Shirt.
cit was in the San Juan country, il
Colorado, in 1876, that had an expert
ence that few men would be likely tt
forget in lifetime, said j. E. Lantr,
last night in the Office of an uptown
hotel much frequented by Western