Oxford Democrat., 1899-08-29
A LIVELY OLD SHARK
HE MADE RAPID TIME FROM MONTE.
Vpeo TO PERNAMBuco.


The Feat Sounds Incredible. bat the
Orator ~ the Liars' CIub Told y
Cirssmstsntisi story ssd Display
ed sosvcnir Of the Event.
"The speed attained by south Allan
tic sharks In their efforts TO arrive at
desired points within the least possible
space Of time said No. IL. who used
to be in the navy and is now clerk In
the navy department, addressing the
last meeting Of the Washington Liars
clnb. ''has long been subject OF scien-
tjfic investigation. ! don't know the
exact number Of knots they have been
found to make within the space Of an
ordinary four hour watch, but IL a
south Atlantic shark can't beat an alba
tross when II comes to speed IN eat my
bag and hammock and ditty box.
"Now, there are some sharks down In
the south Atlantic that don't like to
find themselves too near the equatorial
waters. and yet they want 10 have plen-
ty of room TO prowl. They've got the
temperature OF water that suits them
best figured out TO nicely, and they
know that on the other side Of the eqna-
torial line there's just as good water,
and water Of the same degree Of tenn
perature. as that in which they're fool.
Ing around when they get 90 thinking
on this subject
.Well. what do they do when they
get 10 worrying over the cramped space
in which they find themselves on one
side Of the line or the otherr Why.
they just make dash across the line.
That's all. They know that the equa-
torial line Is trocha OF water that n
heap too he, for their constitutions and
that they can't stand monkeying around
In the water on that line too long, and
so they just hop over II. icketty cut, so
fast that yon cant see their fms for
dust.
II remember once. when was on
the old Ticonderogn. a thing happened
that gave Us line on the speed OF
sharks when they take IL into their
heads TO get speedy. We got into the
port Of Monievideo one morning at 10
O'Clock. II was on Monday. April l2.
Montevideo. harbor Il full cf sharks. and
the men forward got 20 fishing over the
side for them in order 10 get their spines
to make walking sticks of them. One
huge man eater was landed after great
difficulty with the combined strength OF
the whole watch on deck, and he had 10
BE- clubbed with Delaying pins snd cap
stan bars for an hour before he gave mp
and cashed in.
"Well. we cut him open, and. gentle
men. what do you suppose W. found
inside Of himf Why. a. fine gold
watch and chain ss you ever saw Ia
your lifel Not an ordinary minute and
second hand watch. but one Of those
watches that give the date, the day ot
the week, the phases Of the moon and
the whole thing Well. sirs. you can
imagine our astonishment when we
snapped the case Of this watch open
and found that II had stopped at exact
ly p. m. April IL. the day before We
got into Montevideo.
"The skipper Of our ship reported
this fact TO the townspeople OF Monte
video when hs went ashore, feeling con-
fident that some prominent citizen OF
that town had inadvertently permitted
himself 10 be made a meal Of by an
epicurean shark. He naturally conclud-
ed that the victim must have been a
prominent citizen to pack such swell
timepiece around with him. Nobody
was missing ont Of the population Of
Montevideo. and the thing looked al
mighty mysterious
"well. we remained In the harbOr Of
Mon,evideo for six weeks making re-
pairs, and In that time the shark and
watch incident was practically forgot
ten. We were just upon the point OF
pulling out for northern waters when
the British ship Cardiff. from Peruam-
buco. Brazil. put into Monievideo. The
Cardiffs mate was in command, and
be had a queer story TO tell of how the
command had fallen 10 him. IL se-ms
that CD April II the skipper. returning
To the ship from Perpambuco in his
long boat. had slipped in stepping on
10 the float leading to the ships gang
way aud fallen into the water Before
the boats crew had chance 10 pull
him back into the stern sheets there
was swish and the skipper was being
packed of in the jaws OF a gigantic
shark.
"You'l II remember that this happened
on the afternoon Of April III. Well.
there wouldn't have been anything re-
markable atout this IL the mate in com
mand Of the Cardiff hadn't happened to
mention that the skipper had valu-
able watch on his person when the
shark got him. Our commanding officer
heard about this, and he looked up the
mate and asked him what kind OF n
watch Il was. The mate exactly de-
scribed the watch that We bad taken
out of the sharks stomach In Monte
yideo on the morning Of April IL. and
when our skipper showed il TO him be
instantly identified 1t.
"Now. all that anybody who doubts
this has got to do in order to find ont
how many thousand miles Pernambuco
is from Monteyideo ID to measure the
scale on the atlas Of South America.
That shark only hit the high places in
jumping from Pernambuco to Monte
video, and IL there any doubter OF this
narration here present. why. here's the
sharks spine, and No. Is Of the Liars
club held up 25 cent malacca stick.
The quarterly medal was bestowed
upon No. IS by unanimous vote
Washington Star.