The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-08
to carry home with you. Wen sooI
settle him."

lighthouse and got our guns and the
axe. Then. with warning from the
keeper to make sure that the sawfish
was dead before we approached him
too close. we went back to the scene.
The sawfish was now resting quietly
ON the surface, with his back and the
top Of his head, including the whole
length of his saw, out of water. He
was held in position by the anchors
fastened to the net. To Dicks salts
faction, l claimed the first shot at the
Then slipping couple Of
buckshot cartridges into the No. 10
English breechloader which my father
had kindly loaned me for the trip. i
was ready. When within about twenty
feet Dick stopped the boat, and fired
into the head of the sawfish.
For a few moments the sawfish lay
quietly, and / thought he must be
dead. But suddenly he began the
most violent struggles, and for short
time made the water round him fairly
foam, as he rolled about, flashing the
surface with his fins and tail. But
soon his struggles grew weaker ami
weaker, until finally he lay on the wat
er mOtionleSs.
AS soon as we were convinced that
he was dead, we pulled the boat along
side of him, and made fast to his Dooy
with a small line. We then prepared
to disentangle him from the net, the
whole length of which, about seventy
five feet, was wound in an apparently
inextricable snarl tightly round the
body. with large rents i'll 1T through
which his saw and fins protruded.
From the wound in his head the blood
was flowing, streaking the water with
red as 1t was carried up the channei
by the current, which was setting IL
rectly toward the man-eaters hoie.
Selling the axe, l first cut off the saw
close to the head, and then lald IL i'll
the bottom of the boat. 1 then helped
Dick to unwind the net by rolling the
body over and over, and dipping the
net over the head and fins where he
had thrust them through it. In this
manner we had recovered about TWEEN
ty feet of one end of the net, When 1
heard a sharp, cutting SOUND III the
water and saw it came from the gam
topsail-like fin of huge shark when
was rapidly cleaving the surface close
to us.
"a mau-eaterv' shouted Dick. "We'l
have to get away from here right OH
before he attacks the sawfish. The
smell of the blood has brought him
Look. there's another one OF the
brutes"
The two sharks slowly circled abou
ms. MS If uncertain whether to attaci
the boat or the sawfish.
"Throw the net overheard and cas-
off the line. They are going to eat th'
sawfish and us, too, If we don't hurry
Dick was trembling all over, ant
seemingly unable to control his move
ments. Fortunately for both OF us,
had not as yet realized the danger o
our position, but remained perfectl
cool anod collected. Hastily bundlin
the net over the side, l grabbed IN
axe and cut the line attaching the boa
to the sawfish.
At that instant one Of the shark
made a rush, and cleaving the waite
like lightning, ran his nose up 'bve
the back of the sawfish and fastene
his laws into the flesh. Tugging 9
it with all his might, like a huge bull
dog. he tore a large piece out an
gulped 1t down at one swallow. 4
this l experienced for the first time
realizing sense of the power and fierce
ness of the pOsters.
Get out your oars and help me pu
I'D on the shoal where they can't g
, at u.s." 1 shrieked to Dick.
There now appeared to be five
six of the maneaters round us, al
= they were gradually closing in on
, as if emboldened by numbers. Aga
, there was fierce rush at the sawfis
. this time by two of the sharks, whi'
r fastened upon the carcass at the sa1
: instant and pulled in opposite dire
lions. We sat as if spellbound, WI
!. Messing the horrible struggle witho
q making an effort to escape, until su
p denly there was grating sound und
y the keel. and our boat was lit
bodily several inches out of the wat
q If Dick had not promptly fallen do'
n in the bottom, we should in all pre-
!. bility have been capsized.
n One of the sharks had darted unt
n the boat from the opposite side to
v tack the sawfish, and as he rose L
, struck the keel with his back.
> An oar which had put over the s.
d and was holding on to mechanical
$. was torn from my grasp and snapI
Is in two by one of the monsters.
% At this l became enraged, and pi
m ing I'D my gun fired the remain
N charge of buckshot into the expo
- hack of the nearest shark. 1t was
"a other most successful shot. The cha
evidently penetrated to the backbo
J. as the shark instantly became par
at wed and began to sink, slowly turn
Of over and exposing his white belly
view.
10 He was almost Immediately alta
RI ed by his companions, and in a
,n moments the sharks, living and dt
v. and the sawfish. or what remained
We 1t. were all mixed up together Il
u whirling, tumultuous mass.
" The water above them, as the I
10 rible feast progressed, dubbed
IT, boiled like q huge caldrOn, rocking
~ boat, and combining with the cur
sb to drive us farther away from
n enemies.
nd "Now is our time, Dick! said,
ge we quietly took up an oar apiece
ms softly padded up to where the w
his was only eight or ten inches q