The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-06-12
EATEN BY SHARKS.
That Seems to Have Bsen the
Fate of tho Fishermsn,
LOST OFF CHARLESTON BAR
a Horribly Mutiiatsd Arm Of
Negro Man Taken From.
the Stomach Of a
Monster. =

The News and Courier says the left
arm of negro maD, horribly mutilated
and msngled, was cut Wednesday from
the stomach of ten foot shark,
which was captured after g desperate
struggle by the crew Of the light ship.
The arm was undoubtedly that of one
OF the fifteen fishermen lost in the
ssq1aii of the Eastern Patches rec;sG;nltIy. =
When brought to the oily LIpy the fgh.
I5g smsok Eirtcufis and delivered to
CoLSner Vaughn the lscersted limb was
examined closely by the fishermen who
escaped the storm, but there was no
mark or hign by which it conld be iden-
tlhed. The negro wss probably dead
when his bo iy was seized by the sharks.
with this latest discovery at the
liz ht ship the evidence is almost con-
elusive that the crews aboard the three
hshlng boats we're drowned. The
searching parties which went to sea
Saturday and Sunday came back with
stories OF the numerous sharks seen
sklrtiog the waters and apparently
huntlog for prey. These rapacious
monsters seemed to have detected an
odor OF death and many of thsm fol-
lowed the boats doggedly. They
spla5hed through the waves, dsrted back
and forth, spd followed water trails
which might have been leading to where
bodies were afoat.
Two OF the boats which managed to
escape the fury of the storm pulled to-
ward the light ship and remained there
Friday night. The sharks had followed
st a distance. They returned toward the
Patches, but esrlp Saturday, morning.
they were seen again, wandering aim
lesly through the water aud eagerly
searching for hidden, ghoulish food.
The men aboard the light ship cast out
line, but without making a capture,
and the sharks disappeared. They ap.
peared again at intervals, and then
rushed away. Tuesday, however, sew
eral OF the ten foot monsters swan near
the light ship and in the afternoon sew
eral Of the men on board let down a
rope line on which had been attached q
strong hook. The bait was supplied.
One shark dived p!ayfully about the
hook, jerked at the bait and then dis
appeared. He came back again aud
seemed bolder. ALI at oncs he opened
has big jaws, took in the hook, and
started away with the prize. When
the rope was hauled in taut the monster
squirmed and fought. The men holi--
ing the line were experts at shark fsh.
ing, however, and the+ lot tfr rope
sla;k off and by tho peculiar twisting
known only to the experts gave the
shark big jerk which caused his big
mouth to open for gallons of salt water
to pour In. Alter this had been repeat
ed feysan h.
groggy, although he uas stilI Sighting
viciously and slapplng at the boat,
while his eyes glared with anger. He
saw the desperate situation and tried
hard to escape. But the line was
drawn in more and more, finally, when
weak and whipped, the shark was drag
ge1 on deck, and lay there twitching
and dying. Quick work by the crew
ended his existence.
The light ship crew had suspected
that the sharks were out prospecting
for the dead fishermen and it was de-
cided to rip the sto mach open to see if
the monster captured had feasted on
the unfortunstes. Long knives we're
forced into the tough meat and
the flesh was torn apart. After dig
giDg for the stomach the crew pull
ed out strange object, which proved
on closer examination to be the arm
of man. The carcass was removed
ard the arm was preserved. When the
fishing smack Victoria hove in sight
early Wednesday she was signalled from
the light ship and turned her course
near in. Capt Abram Gray, in COM
mand Of the smack, was deputiz ID to
bring the srm to the city.