New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-13
A SHARK WASHED ABOARD.
WEIRD TALE OF THE SEA AND COKkoeo'
RATION BROUGHT BY THE SCOT
TISH PRINCE.

Ice coffee and q weird shark story constituted
the cargo with which the steamship Scottish
Prince came into port yesterday morning. The
Scottish Prince has man named Dobson Tor a
skipper and Dobson can not only skip. but ne
can recite tales Of the that are calculated
10 inspire the landlubber with admiration for
we'll for something. Skipper Dobson has Ter
tile Imagination. and also a sense OF proportion
which is rare Moreover he never omits to ada
that corroboratve detail which is said by
compctent authority to contribute something or
other to an otherwise bald and undressing
narrative The corroborative detail yesterday
adduced by skipper DobsOn was the tail or the
shark or rather a small section thereof
The Scottish Prince left St Lucia on Feb
ruary l. loaded with coffee. She had an un-
eventful voyage until February {. when trouble
with the elements began to brew. Heavy gales
from the west and northwest piled up the seas
in fashion commonly described by the fabri-
Gator Of tales of the deep" as "mountayneeous.
The cold weather however. which these lati-
tudes have been reveling in for some days, did
not strike the steamer until she neared this
port.
1t was on Wednesday last. so Captain Dobson
says (and it should not at any time he forgot
ten that the ship news reporter of The Tribune
declines to assume any responsibility whatever
for the allegations herein contained that the
shark appeared. He came aboard with huge
wave that swept the Scottish Prince from stem
to stern chat is the way all seas sweep the
decks Of vessels. 1t saves the housemaid the
troube) This particular wave flooded the for
ward deck and the bridge deck thoroughly
When II had finished its sweeping 1t left on the
bridge deck amidshps a shark that was hungry
and smeed the odOrs the cook was kicking up
in the galley
His sharkship was five feet six inches long.
He was a lusty chap and ne declined to die
for at least half an hour, despite the numerous
invitations to do extended 10 him with De
laying pins and axes. The sailors threw MN
into a coil Of rope the forward hatch. where
he busted himself tying half-hitches Al the
same time the fore-topsail halyards were car
ried away. The sailors took the chain pendant
from the halyards and laid II ALONGSIDE the
shary. The pendant was made or steel anu
was about two inches in diameter The captorS
Of the shark turned their backs on nm lor
an instant and he was mean enough TO take
advantage of the confidence reposed In him by
swallowing two fathOms Of the pendant rms
Is so. Captain Dobson says so. After when ne
that is the shark-gavc up the ghost
They carried the big fish to the bridge ana cur
his tail off Captain Dobson showed small
slice Of the tail To the reporter 1t looked IKE a
section Of vuCanized rubber. Part or the SHARK
was eaten by the ships cats.
Thursday the ship struck the cold weather.
Saturday morning the Scottish Prince anchored
inside the bar. She was caught IN huge ice
foe and drfted with a strong toe almost 10
Coney Island, when the tide changed ana drlited
her back again. The ship was covered WIN ICE
when she came up yesterday morning. captain
Dobson said he did not leave the deck from
Tuesday until Yesterday, excepting for half an
hours sleep Saturday Captain Dobson tells
stories with much attention to detail