The Press., 1898-06-09
A SEA DEMON.
BY CHARLES B. LEWIS.

One morning in the year 1868 as the English brig Fair Hope was to the east of the island of Ceylon, bound for the strait of Malacca, a man who had been sent aloft hailed the deck with the in- formation that monster shark was ly- ing alongside. The craft had high bull warks, and the fish might not have been seen but for the man going aloft as he did. This was the first authentic meet ing with a shark which afterward took the name of the ''Demon of the Sea. Y" About eight feet back of the head was lump the size of water pail, and this excrescence was milk white in color. It was no doubt the result of an injury and was mark by which the shark was known for several years after.
 It is the custom aboard of merchant vessel when a shark appears alongside and the work aboard is not pressing to give the men a chance to destroy their enemy. In this instance, owing to the unusual size of the fish, the captain was anxious to make a capture and carry the specimen into Singapore. Hooks were got out and baited, and for two hours they tried all sorts of tricks to in- duce the monster to take hold. He was very wary, however and refused to bite. There was an old harpoon aboard, and when it was seen that the fish could not be captured alive the carpenter got out the irons and tried to harpoon him. In the effort he fell overheard, and the shark seized him and disappeared so quickly that the dozen men who wit messed the affair could scarcely believe they saw alright. The incident was re- corded in the log and reference was made to it in Lloyd's Register for the first week in September of the year named. So far as is known this sailor from the Fair Hope was the first white man who fell victim to the demon, but others were to follow in quick suc- cession.
 Three days later and 100 miles to the south of Ccylon the American ship James F. Bradwell, tea laden, was caught in o;6m which lasted for six hours. Of Q sudden men who were working in the rigging discovered the big shark alongside. He was at first 
 the amazement when it was known that he belonged to the man eating species. As i'll the other case, it was determined to capture him alive, and the men put in three hours work seeking to tempt him with pork and beef. The big fellow simply refused to take the hook, and his actions were so sluggish that it was at last believed he was almost dead. A boat was lowered in hopes that moose might be slipped over his tail. and it was while the man with the rope was trying to perform this feat that trag- edy occurred. He was bending over the bows of the boat when he lost his hold and plunged into the water. With light ninglike swiftness the shark turned and seized him, dived under the keel of the ship and was seen no more. Five men were close at hand when the ehark grab bed the man, and they were unanimous in declaring that the victim was bolted down as if he had been five pound piec9 of pork. That incident was also recorded in the log, and thus made authentic, but l do not think it was ever published. l got it personally i5 years later from the captain of the Bradwell.
 The third appearance of the demon, so far as the record goes, was about two weeks later, and ill the bay of Bengal, many hundreds of miles distant. An English whaling ship named the Two Sisters was lying off the Andaman is- lands at anchor while making some re- pairs aloft. At 10 o'clock in the fore- noon, without the fin of 8 shark having been seen, the demon suddenly rose alongside and lay waiting for his prey. Everybody was astonished at his size, but as the repairs were urgent the men were not allowed to knock off to effect his capture. They did call to three fish ermen, however, who were in 8 boat near at hand, and the natives responded.
 The shark played his old game and appeared to be scarcely able to move, and the idea of the men was to moose him and tow him ashore. No sooner had they rounded the stern of the whaler and taken rope from one of the sailors than the demon turned and made for the boat. The native craft was frail affair, used only for fishing on the reefs, and the shark struck it head on and stove a great hole ill the side. Ropes were thrown to the men houndering in the water, but only one of them was safely hauled aboard the whaler. One was seized and bolted down, and sec- ond, who hung to the ships rudder, was picked off a moment later What ever came handy was hurled overheard to frighten the shark avay from his sec: |