The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-01-02
MONEY IN SHARK FISHING.
A PECULIAR INDUSTRY OFF vAN-
CoUvER'S ISLAND.
Catching Maine Monsters for the On
Contained In Their Livers-Fierce
Struggles for Life.

Catching Maine Monsters for the Oil
Contained In Their Livers-Fiercs
struggles for Life.
vveT ORKING their way
~ ! through the thickly
" " wooded forests of Van
couver's Island, party OF
hunters and explorers came ont one
night upon bay that was illuminated
by a blazing bonfre-a welcome slgns
in this little-known and untrequented /
wilderness, A rude camp next came
into view, and the p.rty. soon WAS re.
ceino a hearty welcome from crew or !
sbnrkera who hailed from Tacoma,
washington, and the adjacent coun-
try. -.
sIts q curious thing" said The
leader later on, ''to find fisherman
who can load with halibnt shark nsn-
ing, but that's just what it amounts 10:
I went South with 10000 pounds OF
balibut some time ago and lost money
ON IL. and now we are trying shark
OIL"
Great pots or caldrons were resting
nm niles of stone, seething OVER the
hot fires that were converting sharks
liver into an oil valua BILE to machlnlsts
in nearly all trades; an oil that had g
nossible Wholesale value of forty cents
. ner gallon. Off Cape Scott was tue
, fishing ground, and there and along
the coast OF Vancouver's Island large
sharks are found all the year around,
< and the Norwegian sharkers were Just
+, returning to the fishing that had been
d their means OF livelihood in their own
: country.
a "In the old country" said one Of
D the men, s'the fishing is very different
@ from here. There we saved every bit
{. Of the shark. We got them IN very
% deem water, a sort of ground shark
y and sometimes had to take them
10 aboard. on the windlass. The liver
ID was taken out to be tried, ana tne
he body towed ashore to be made INTO
T. fertilizer for the farmers; but there
l: no farmers about here, SO we lot tns
=, bodies CO. 49,,
g Two DAYS later the trim little schoon
or that had been lyingin the bay bore
70 away for Cape Scott with several o
IL the hunting party, who wished to Cd
ne tain some idea of shark fishing, a
rs messengers. The fishing ground wa
to almost anywhere along shore, thougl
rA where the currents swept around .n
n Cape was for some reason very ~
ny yorable place. Here the men caugnt
me number OF halibut for bait, ana tnel
he the decks we're cleared for the rel
he work of shark fishing, and doze
q. heavy rope lines about as large as
tn, clothesline were baited with temptln
lio pieces of hal'but. :,
as There was long wait and then u
sport, if SO it can be called, began W
ose a zest that soon made hard work i
oat the men. At first there wonld be
ex- slioht nibble at the line, as though
fish was nosing it; then it slowly "a
cen out few feet and then it wasthat q
ade man at the line leaned forward al
TO with all his strength ierked the hot
ort into the sharks mouth. There wa.
rec fierce rush, tearing the rope from
YER mans hands and dragging it over !
her rail; coil after coil leaping frt
the deck, Kissing and writhin5 i
a living thing. Finally o turn v
made about Delaying pin, and
cher first rush OF the big fish was par
the stopped; -then the fisherman vita
mar aid OF all hands started the monst
. is which came slowly in, testing evs
are muscle of the men on the line.. 30
with another line was running out, u
lime another, an | three sharks, famous
hmm their pulling power, were hooked
ome once. Slowly they came in. fightl
on o every foot, and finally vicious 10
ing fellow at least fourteen feet i
has and weighing possibly 800 or l
graf hounds, was rolling aud tossing at
and surface. A block and tackle were
ceive cred over him, and in few mint
ct of the struggling monster was nos
r and above the surface and despatched
and SWING over the deck, where the
!. 1t was skilfully taken out. the body
inne- inc thrown overheard to be devot
to be nv the rapacious creatures that n
We to the coast line of Vancouver t
steam home. The long olive oolored NV
sting a single shark when dropped I'M
4 ould barrel half filed it, and was estim
He I, he worth from 81. so to 50,
lives. would produce several gallons Q
} with worth from thirty-tive to forty
!, cow ner gallon, The other sharks
space, soon taken in and despoiled OF
upon liyers, and in tAe course OF the
es for ten we're caught, mixing nearly
Then barrels OF liver, and it was estin
ition, that many more per day coui
, COW taken. The vessel could carry .
s run IT'S barrels OF oil of a capacity OF
rivers gallons each. York Post
I'd ter.
known Nova, Test Of Pure Air.