Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-01-22
COWARDICE OF SHARKS.
BIC mANEATERs AS SEEN ~ AN
OFFICER OF THE NAVY.


az have had some experience with !
maneaters," said naval officer to a
New York Sun representative, "and L
believe with the Kanakas of Hawaii |
that sharks are towards. In the |
space of twenty-five years of seagoing. !
a good deal of il in shark-infested !
waters, i have never seen or heard OF
a case where mRneater, or a whole |
school of them, for that matter,
brushed mp enough nerve to tackle
two swimming, diving or castaway
men or boys when both stuck to-
Cether. The most ferOciOus of sharks
will attack man only when he is
alone in the water, aud, even then, If
the man has sufficient presence of
mind 10 keep up powerful splashinS
on the surface Of the water. he has a
good chance 20 scare the shark off,
SHARKS don't like 70 tackle any
thing that churns up the water.
They've got 20 turn upside down 20
| get at their prey. and this position
/ does not enable them 20 see very well
even when their prey Is pursuing an
\ even or clear course through the
water. or is quite stationary, in fact
but when the object they decide 10
tackle begins 10 lash the water into
foam and suds. nine times out of ten
/ they will turn tin and drill ont of the
wav. Natives of the Pacific islands
are aware OF this characteristic, which
accounts for the fact that Won never
see a Pacific island native swimming
in the sea by himself He always goes
in with one or more companions for the
sake OF the lashing they can all
give the water together IN case
sharks begin 20 nose around,
and also because they under
stand the fear the shark has OF attack
ing two or moye human beings who re-
main close together IN the sea. Once
in a while one Of the swimming island
ders carelessly permits himself 20 be
rome separated from his companions,
Ind this Is the opportunity OF the shark.
Under such circumstances the man
eater is foxy enough 20 get between
the detached man and his companions
and 20 keep below the surface OF the
sea 20 that his tel-tale fin shall not
show above the water and reveal bis
presence 20 the doomed native. Then
he slips under his human prey, per
E forms his little urning-over trick,
makes an upward swoop every bit as
, swift as the lghtning-like descent OF
an eagle and grabs the native by the
leg, and when the grabbed mans com
panions notice that he Is missing ans
swim ont In the direction where the,
last saw him-keeping close together
= and pounding the water pretty hard
they find nothing but little eddies o
D blood on the surface Of the water. Th'
r. native is torn 20 pieces IA a twinklin.
y bv many sharks who. I verify believe
70 wait below for the pulling off Of thes
i baggings.
e "Mau-Of-war's men who have crulse'
p IN the Southern seas have caught tn
r trick OF the islanders ~ avoiding swim
r. ming sipgly in shark-infested waters
2 and in kicking up great TODD III th
j. water IN case they become accidental
J. separated from their shipmates whe
Ia in swimming Swimming call !
Il sounded on United States men-of-wa
d about an hour before shutdown O
q ships cruising in tropical ATTITUDES
IS when the ships are q. anchor il port
4 OF course-and the men who want {
q cool off Jump offths decks by the scor,
nave r.AA4 O-Al ~ A40 ANAAt oAAtAA I,
II and their cowardly ways hop by th
y dozen right into big schools of fierce
d looking maneaters They'd all jun
< into the water ~ the same time. an
p in less time than il takes for me TO re
IS it the sea a hundred yards away woul
If be dotted with sharks fins. They
e screw their way out OF the neighbO
Z. hood Of the swimming men just {
quick as they knew how, and the
~ wouldn't come back, either, until Il
ar galley cooks threw their garbage owe
le board and thus attracted them BAG
id again.
d Sharks become nightly attache
er 10 the little pilot fish that guide the
Ia around the waters OF the sea in scare
IN OF eatables. In spite of apparel
is energy and activity, sailors who ha'
Is made study of the characteristics
AT sharks declare that these coward
4! sea-devils are too lazy to hunt for fo'
~ themselves and that they would star
ng 70 death if they were not led aroui
or by their attending pilot fish. Eve
- fnll-grown shark has pilot fish foi
rs guide, and these little chaps are C
y tainly faithful attendants and foragel
The pilot fish sails along about Z