The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-08-22

the water with great rapidity. with
out causing n ripple. AZ n village in
Savaii, n powerfully-built woman,
who was incautiuisly bathing at the
mouth of stream, was suddenly
swept away by one of these sharks
almost before she could utter II cry,
so swiftly and suddenly was she
seized. Several attempts were made
to capture the brute, which continued
to haunt the scene of the tragedy for
several days; but il was too cunning
to take hook. and was never caught.
The tanifa which had been seen by
the young Manono chief and his men
the preceding evening had made its
appearance soon after darkness had
fallen, and had cruiscd to and fro
across the mouth of the Naivasa till
the tide began to fall. when it made
its way seaward through passage in
the reef. 1t was. so Lilo assured me,
quite eight feet in length and very
wide across the head and shoulders.
The water was clear, and by the
bright starlight they could discern
its movements very easily: once it
came well into the river and remained
stationary for some minutes, lying
under about two feet of water. Some
of the Manono men, hailing picket
Of the enemy on the opposite bank of
the river. asked for n ten minutes
truce to try and shoot il. This was
granted; and, standing on the top of
the sandy trench, half II dozen young
fellows fired II yollcy at the shark
from their SnidcrS. None of the bull
| let's took effect. and the tanifa sailed
slowly OF again, to cruise to and fro
for another hour, watching for any
haplcss person who might cross the
just as the kava was beng handed
round, some children who were on
watch cried out that the tanifa had
come. Springing to his feet. Lilo
again hailed the encmy's picket on
the other side. and truce was agreed
TO. SO that "thc white men could have
| look at the MALE" tshark).
Thirty or 40 yards away was what
seemed to be n huge, irregular. wavcr-
ing mass of phosphorus, which as it
drew nearer revealed the outlines of the
dreaded hsh. II came in straight for
the mouth Of the creek. passed over
the pcbbly bar, and then swan leis.
urely about in the brackish water,
moving from bank to bank less than
q dozen feet from the shore. The
stream of bright, phosphorcscent
light which had surrounded its body
when it first appeared had now, ow-
ing to there being but a minor degree
of phosphorus in the brackish water,
given place to a dull, sickly-greenish
reflection, acccntuated, however, by
thin, vivid streaks caused by the exu.
dation from the nostrils and gils Of
viscid matter common to some
species Of sharks. and giving it a truly
terrifying appearance. Presently
couple of men, taking careful aim,
fired at the creatures head; in an in
stant it darted off with extraordinary
velocity, rushing through the water
like 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.
it again appeared, swimming leisure
ly 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 l determined to capture it.
sent Alan on board the cutter for our
one Shark-hook-a hook which had
done much execution among the sea
prowlers. 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 1t 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-
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-bnited with the
belly portion of freshly-kiled pig,
which the Manono people had com
from bush village-was
buoyed to piece of light pua 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
If cocoanut tree, we set some chill
lren to watch, and went into the
trenches to drink some kava, smoke
md gossip. We had not long to wait
.barcly half an hour-when we heard
/ warning yell from the watchers.
The tanifa was in sight! Jumping
up. and tumbling over each other in
'ur eagerness, we rushed out. Alas. :
We were too late; for the shark. in
tead of approaching in its usual leis- |
rely manner made n straight dart
It the bait, and before we could free
,ur end OF the line il was as taut as