Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-07-28
3TRUEaSHARKSTORY
PATHETIC ACCOUNT OF AN OCEAN
* MONSTERS DESTRUCTION.

q MONSTERS DESTRUCTION.
Ehe Fatal Feud Of the Little Blue and
Gold Pilot-The Lump of Fat Pork
With the Concealed Hook-Death by
Torture With the Inevitable Finale.
GLOW very hard it is to provide for
young, fast growing family nova
days z. Said the mother shark, turning,
for.the.hundredth time that morning,
upon her broad side in order to get b
better view of what might be stirring
above. For nearly week she had been
fasting-in fact, eyer since she came in
hurriedly at the close of a great feast
upon the stripped carcass of recent
whale. There, by dint of the energy Of
her massive shoulders, her IA feet Of
length and fvefo1d rows OF triangular
teeth, she had managed to secure a re-.
spectacle proportion of the spoil for the
replenishing Of her own huge NAV as
we'll as for the up keep of the IA shark.
Iings that were now restlessly darling
in and out Of their cozy cave at the-far
end Of her capacious throat.
Within the immediate range OF her
glance a vast black shadow obscured q
wide, irregularly shaped area Of the
blazing sunshine. 1t was so calm that
the shadow seemed stationary, In 1.-THE
direction of this cool penumbra her gaze
fingered earnestly, for hereditary An
stfnct as well as long experience gave
her the knowledge that from the sub
| stance of such shadows came food drop
| ping down, varied and toothsome. ac-
tually alive on rare occasions. Some
| what impatiently she wondered at the
long time that her little blue and gold
attendant had been gone.
He was so seldom absent from his
place between her eyes for whole min.
ute that she got quite uneasy, but while
she fdReted fretfully, with many witch
ings Of her flexible "gaR topsail," back
came the pilot fish in tearing hurry.
| CHOW, then, partner, move along, do.
There's lump of fat pork almost as big
as your head hanging over that ships
stern. I don't quite understand why il
doesn't sink, but it is good. I nibbled
| just a crumb, and you can be sure this
time that it is no bagful Of cinders like
that nasty mouthful that gave you the
chestache SO bad this morning" The
latter part Of this energetic exordium
was lost upon mother shark. being
drowned in the wash set up by hel
great tail fin, which was going in grand
| style, starting her off at such rate
that two or three stragglers CT the fam.
lily had to skip like shrimps to get in.
doors before they were left behind and
lost.
Straight as all arrow to the mark went
the tiny guide, keeping just in front Of
his huge friends snout Together they
swept into the shadow, where sure
enough, mass of meat hung just below
the sea surface, though gently lifted al
most out of water every now and then.
"Oh, do look, mamma! There's a bis
fish. Is he going to eat up that pretty
little one, do you Think" "Oh, no, my
little man," struck in the mate, slut
you watch him now'' AS he spoke the
great gray body took curve latterly, 6
dazzling glare Of white appeared, ant
there beneath the speaker was ores
centic gap in the smooth, livid under
side fringed with innumerable point!
like chevaux de frise and as big as the
gap of coal sack Around it the small
pilot circled excitedly at top speed
Slowly the mate as gently Stacked away
there was gulp, and the big joint dis
appeared. There was a flash, splash
and an eddy, Then the rope attached tt
: the shark hook concealed in the porl
groaned over the rail as it felt the strain
clay aft the watch" roared tn,
mate, and amid the trampling of many
feet, babel of directions and tremen
! dous tumult alongside, through thu
writings of the captive monster, sh,
was transferred forward to the lee gang
way, where, by the aid of stout watcl
. tackle, she was hoisted out of water.
"Don't take him aboard" cried thu
captain. "Make such an internal mes
if you do. Just spritsail yard him and lie
him go agen. F" So piece of scantlins
was got from the carpenter, pointed a
both ends, about four feet long. Thi
they drove between her jaws from sid
to side. Another wedge shaped piec,
was planted diagonally down through
her broad snout, the upper end pointing
forward. Then they cut off the wild
. peotoral ems, letting the quivering Car
cass fall into the sea again by the sim
ple expedient of chopping the hook out
, "What abominable cruelty, % mutteret
, gentle faced man among the crowdinI
passengers, as he turned away sick q
heart. But the bustling seaman LOOKED
pityingly at him, wondering doubles
at his lack Of sporting instincts. Thu
disabled, the miserable monster plunge,
blindly in uncertain directions, unabl
to steer herself, unheeding the franti
caresses of her faithful little satellite
who had almost exhausted himself b,
leaping up at her as she hung strug
Cling against the vessels side. Neithe
did she notice the puzzled, waverinl
movements of her wondering brood. S.
she disappeared from the view Of tn
Laughing, happy crowd on deck. Blu
whichever way she rushed she Away
fetched up to the surface promptly, be
cause of the vane in her head. Thus TO
a day and night she fought aimlessl.
with all the forces of amazing vitalit.
pent up in her huge body against thes
torturing disablements, until merciful
ly she fell in with couple Of ravenou
congeners Seeming fresh blood. the.
made for her straightway. Like MAJ
things, they fell upon her. Long an,
hard they strove, tearing their wa
through the tough framework until as
sistanoe came from all quarters, and
motley multitude of various hungr.
ones cleaned up every shred Of the wei
come banquet, leaving only the deserte