The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-07-24
RAISES SHARKS TO SELL,
THE QUEER OCCUPATION OF A NEW
JERSEY FISHERMAN.

ne ONSOt Ss'SN ~ - ''.'
JERSEY FISHERMAN.
Disposes of Steaks in the New York Mar
ket and There Are People Who Pro
nounce Them Good Esting-How lie
Discovered This Fact-A Shark Pond.
Wilson Fastnet, who lives on the
beach at Seaside Park, over IN New
Jersey, summer and winter, and makes
his living in fishing, knows more about
sharks than any other dweller along
our coast, and during his of-days,
when fish are not plentiful or the
weather is too incle,nent for sailing,
he spends his time III "sharklng.'
This does not mean, in his vernacular,
what the ordinary reader might sus-
pect; it has nothing to do with Wall
street "sharkins,'' Or killing sharks
upon the high seas by means OF var'-
GUS lines, hooks and harpoons. tim
plies peaceful vocation that is unique
in this country Of strange employments
and trades. To understand the
ssharhing" of Mr.. Fastnet it is neces-
sary to go back little in history.
About five years ago, while fishing
off the coast, Mr.. Fastnet caught a
huge shark on his line. Thinking he
had a gamey fish of unusual size on
his hook, he began to play with him,
giving the creature more line as 1t
swan from him and hauling it gently
in as it approached nearer. In this
way he induced the shark gradually
to swim toward the shore, where there
was possible chance to hook it with
gaf. The shark, blinded probably
by the pain of the hook in his stom-
ach, permitted the fisherman to get
him across the sandy bar, where at
low water small inland pond formed.
Once inside the pond the shark was at
the mercy Of it's captor. As the tide
went down the shark was soon strand
ed in the shallow water.
Mr.. Fastnet then, with the help Of
others, succeeded in getting rope
around the monsters body. They
dragged him up on the beach, and by
means of several other ropes they
made regular harness for the shark:
Then he was turned loose and allowed
to swim about in the deep water of
the shore. For several days the shark
was kept prisoner, and at regular In
tervals he was hauled up for exhibi
ton. Many people went down to see
the huge monster, and Mr.. Fastne'
charged ten cents q head from the
spectators.
Finally it occurred to tho fisherman
that it would pay to make the shark
prisoner in some inland pond Of waite.
where he could be Embarrassed. Or
the Barnegat Bay side Of the beacl
there was small cove, which was pro
tected by the beach on three sides.
strong dam was built across the necl
of this cove and the shark was trans
ported across the beach by team o
horses and dumped into the water. Il
this prison the old shark thriye'
nightly aud seemed gradually to los
his ferocious temper. It took all tn
small and useless fish from Mr.. Fast
nets net to keep the creature fror
starving.
It was while watching the growth Q
this captive shark that the iisherma
conceived the idea Of raising othe
sharks in his artificial pond. No
sharks eggs are easily found along tn
Jersey coast They are contained i
capsules or horny matter resemblin
seaweed. They are popularity know
as "mermaids purses" and the shell
are gathered by visitors to the seashor
| for ornamental purposes. General
, they are empty Of all eggs, but in th
| breeding season one can easily pick u
| these shells full Of eggs.
, Mr.. Fastnet collected q humber (
, these eggs cases and threw them int
} the pond which he had formed, and
3 few months he was agreeably SUI
+ prised to find young sharks swimmin
7 around. The old shark in his greed
ness devoured these little creature
r about as fast as they were hatchet
, Then portion Of the pond was sh'
3 off from the rest and new eggs we,
a placed in the water. Here the youn
, sharks could live aud develop witho'
Q danger from the old one. When the
S became half grown they were turne
}. loose in the main pond. Immediate
there was combat Of extraordina,
ferocity. The old shark pounced upe
the youngsters and commenced to 4
- your them as fast as he could.
J. For time the young ones foug]
g back and tried to defend themselve
y but thew would have been destrOye