The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-09-19
@luck and O O
o @ Rdventure.

Among the queer Steeds' Of which
c. T. Holder tells in -. Nicholas per
haps the queerest is nurse" shark,
captured at sea and impounded IN a
tldewater aquarium in Florida
with no little difficulty. says Mr.
Holder, We caught the nurse, iowed u
to the aquarium. which was an in
closed mOat half mile long. nifty feet
wide and from six 10 eight feet deeL..
1t required dozen or more men TO
haul the fish which was eleven feet in
length. over the little tide gate. Just
before il was released a rope bride
was passed over it--a loop that hited~
over the head and was tightened just
behind the fms. so that IL remained IN
place. perfect saddle grth TO this
rope about ten feet long was attached.
and in turn made fast 10 float All
this was prepared Ia advance. ana II
did not require much time 10 attach II.
though the plunges Of the shark
Knocked several men from their feet
Finally all was ready and the shark
was rolled over into the mOat where
IL went dashng away, The t"l!taic float
following at the surface.
For some time we had been building
n boat which was 20 be- the carriage ol
this steed The masons had given "a
us the frame OF n great brick arch upon
upon which they were working. This
rescmbled scow with square ends
II was a perfect skin. except that the
planks were an inch apart but we
filled these Crevices and calkcd il with
oakum. The day before the shark
was caught the boat was launched and
tested. and IL was found that il would
hold three boys. two on u lower seat
ana one on the box seat OF the coacn.
The shark ride was looked forward
10 with the greatest interest.
Finally the day arrived. and very
early while the great tropical sun was
creeping up through the ycImillon
clouds. We made our way around the
wall and 10 our marine carriage.
Being the originator Of the scheme, the
privilege Of the box seat was awarded
TO me Literally this seat was box
q discarded cracker box. My two com
paniOns sat upon q board I'm IN" stern
10 balance the skin We were soon in
place. and. sitting on the box, | care
fully padded the little craft out from
the tide gate and began the search
Tor our stced padded down one side
of the great wall. keeping perfectly
quiet as every quick movement threat
encd MS with a capsize.
Presently we saw the float lying mo-
tiOnlcsS on the water near the wall.
The shark was undoubtedly asleep,
little suspcCting the rude awakening
that was in store for him | now
handed the paddles TO one of the boys
behind me and took In hand our paint
er. the rope fastened TO the boat. and
II was now my business to secure this
10 the float and To arouse the shark
one of my companions padded gen
tly and the at-bottOmcd boat slowly
driftcd ON. Leaning forward | picked
mp the Goat and quickly ran the painter
through hole that had been left in
the float for the purpose, ana fastened
il with a howlinc knot, When this was
done | hauled in the slack and gently
pulled the rein. while one OF the boys
"CluCkcd' M the shark. and the other
said "GCdapw No response. Then |
gave another jerk at the line, and the
shark woke NJ.
have often read OF boys who awake
NJ sunrise and bound out OF bed with a
single leap, ana have always thought
that such sudden awakening could be
true only i'm books. But that was eG-
actly how this shark woke. II fairly
leapcd out of sound sleep and 1STkcd
the skin ahead so violently that the
box seat upset and | fell backward
upon my companions. This upset was
certainly not dignifed beginning ana
| heard roar of laughter from some
fun-loVing lookerson,
The shark. now feeling the rope,
dashed along AZ a rapid pace making
| It extremely difficult for us TO retain
| ouI places. but MY companions aidcI
ne. Carefully raising me they rightCd
! tie box. | secured the painter and
held the single rein In triumph II
was a signal success We had bar
messed the shark. and were moving at
n rate that was wildly exciting The
| speed was SO great that the boat was
| pulled almost bow under and wave
| OF foam preceded us The boys held
or tightly, but occasionally raised one
hand and checrod when n head ap
! pcarCd At portfolio of the fort.