Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-07-18

of the Manono men, naIlng a picket
of the enemy on the opposite bank of
the river, asked for a ten minutes
truce to try and shoot it. This was
granted: and, standing on the top of
the sandy trench, half dozen young
fellows fired a volley at the shark
from their Sniders None Of the bull
lets took effect, and the tanifa sailed
slowly off again, to cruise to and fro
for another hour, watching for any
hapless person who might cross the
river
just as the kava was being handed
round, some children who were on
watch cried out that the tanifa had
come. Springing to his feet, LILO
again hailed the enemy's picket on
the other side, and truce was agreed
TO-, so that "the white men could have
a look at the MALE" (shark).
Thirty or 40 yards away was what
seemed to be huge, irregular, waver-
ing mass of phosphorus, which as it
drew nearer revealed the outlines ofthe
dreaded fish. 1t came in straight for
the mouth of the creek, passed over
the pebbly bar, and then swan leis-
urelv about in the brackish wafer
moving from bank to bank less than
a dozen feet from the shore. The
stream of bright, phOsphorescent
light which had surrounded its body
when it first appeared had now, ow-
ing to there being but Il minor degree
Of phosphorus in the brac>ish water
given place to dull. sickly-greenish
reflection, accentuated, however, by
thin. vivid streaks caused by the eXu-
dation from the nostrils and gills OF
viscid matter common to some
species of sharks, and giving it truly
terrifying appearance. Presently
couple of men, taking careful aim,
fired at the creatures head: in an in
slant it darted off with extraordinary
velocity, rushing through the water
like a submerged comet, if | may use
the illustration. Both Of the men
who had fired were confident their
bullets had struck and badly wound
ed the shark. but were greatly dis
gusted when. ten minutes afterwards.
il again appeared, swimming leisure
~ about at 80 yards from the beach.
Three days later, as we were re-
turning to Apia, we were told by our
native friends that the shark still
haunted the mouth of the Naivasa,
and | determined to capture 1t. |
sent Alan on board the cutter for our
one shark hook-a hook which had
done much execution among the sea-
providers. Although not of the larg-
est size, being only ten inches in the
shank, it was made of splendid steel,
and we had frequently caught 15-foot
sharks with it at sea. 1t was cher
ished possession with us, and we al
WAYS kept it and the four feet of
chain attached to it bright and clean.
In the evening Alan returned, ac-
companied by the local pilot Capt.
Hamilton) and the master of Ger
man bark. They wanted "to see the
fun" We soon had everything in
readiness. The hoOk-baited with the
belly portion of freshly-killed pig,
which the ManonO people had COM
Wandered from a bush village-was
buoyed to a piece of light qua wood
to keep it from sinking; and then,
with 20 fathoms of brand-new whale
! line attached, we let it drift out into
the center of the passage. Making
our end of the line fast to the trunk
| of a cOcoanut tree, we set some chill
dren to watch, and went into the
trenches to drink some kava, smoke
and gossip. We had not long to wait
barely half an hour-when we heard
a warning veil from the watchers.
The tanifa was in sight! Jumping
ND, and tumbling over each other in
our eagerness, we rushed out. Alas.
we were too late; for the shark, in
stead of approaching in its usual leis-
urely manner, made straight dart
at the bait, and before we could free
our end of the line it was as taut as
an iron bar, and the creature, with
the hook firmly fastened in his jaw,
was blowing the water into foam
amid yells of excitement from the
natives. Then suddenly the line fell
slack, and the half dozen men who
were holding it went over on their
backs.
In mournful silence we hauled in the
line. Then, oh, woe! the hOOk-our
prized, beautiful hook-was gone,
and with it two feet of the chain,
which had parted at the center swivel
That particular tanifa was seen no
more.
Nearly two months later two of a
much larger size appeared at the
mouth of the Vaivasa. Several of the
white residents tried night after night
to hook them, but the monsters re-
fused to look at the bats. Then
appeared on the scene an old one-eyed
Malay named REQ, who asserted he
could kill them easily. The way he
set to work was described to me by
= the natives who witnessed the opera
: tions. Taking a piece of green bani
boo about four feet in length, he split
from it two strips, each an inch wide
. After charring the points he sharpen
ed the ends carefully; then, by grea
pressure, he coiled them up into a
small compass as possible, keeping
the whole in position by sewing TIL
coil up in the fresh skin of fist
known as the isuumu-a species OF tn
leather jacket" Next he asked to b.
provided with two dogs. A couple o
ours were soon provided, killed, ant
the viscera removed. The coils o
: bamboo were then placed in the va