The Indianapolis journal., 1902-04-27
MAN-EATING SHARKS.
Authenticated Tales About Them from
the Nantucket Fisheries.

Letter in Springfield Republican.
1 was sure that If there were such things
as man-eating sharks Nantucket sailors
could prove il from their own knowledge.
Few remain now OF those mariners who
knew every sea on our globe. but Judge 7.
c. Defrez, of the town, has obligingly
taken pains to call on those left who had
been eyewitnesses of fatal encounters with
these monsters and has sent me the notes
which he took down from their lips. They
are necessarily grewsome tales, but their
evidence is positive and you can publish
them If you wish.
Oct. 4, 1Si9 the whaleship Phoenix. or
Nantucket, was at anchor In the harbor OF
Tumbez, coast of Peru, South America.
Two Of the crew went in swimming soon
shark was discovered coming in and
warning was Immediately given 10 the
swimmers who put for the ship. Ropes
were put over the side and one OF the men
was safely taken on board; the other.
George Martin, succeeded In getting hold OF
rope, but before he could be hauled on
board the shark seized him by the thigh:
the man held on TO the rope and the shark
tore the flesh from the thigh 10 the foot,
but the man was taken on board and lived
a short time.
Soon after the man was bitten the crew
of the whaleship Spartan. at anchor near
by, caught the shark and took from his
thigh; IL was sent on board the Phoenix
and buried on shore with the remains OK
Martin.
Obed SanGsbury, now living at Nantucket,
eighty-five years Of age. at the time OF
the foregoing incident second officer or the
Phoenix; he well remembers the circum-
stances of the case. and also has the jour-
mai of the voyage, kept by himself. In which
IL is recorded He cleaned and preserved
the jaw of the shark; Il had sixteen rows
of teeth on the upper side and fourteen on
the lower. He says II was a ground
shark"
the Island OF Navavo, one OF the Friendly
islands, on about July s. 1851; whale
ships Edward Cary and Harvest. OF Nan
tucket, and Shepherdess, Of Mystic, Conn:
they were there 10 get recruits and 10 give
the crew liberty shore.
The crew on the Shepherdess returned TO
their ship intoxicated and quarrelsome, 50
much so that the officer I'm charge called
upon Captain Riddell. OF the ship Harvest,
for assistance, who sent a boats crew with
the first officer to help restore order. Most
OF the men were put IN irons, but one sald
III he were allowed 10 sleep few hours he
should be all right. and the request was
granted. Soon after going below he ap-
peared on deck and jumped overheard. and
"A boat which was alongside the ship was
Immediately sent 10 rescue the man. About
the time the crew got hold OF him he was
seized by a shark; they succeeded I'm get
ting him into the boat but he was so mu-
tilated that he died before they got cacS
Obed Sandsbury, before mentioned al
second officer OF the ship Phoenix was Sec
Ond officer OF the Edward Cary at the time
the foregoing incident occurred and we'll
ren embers IL.
Capt. Charles Grant. OF Nantucket. an
old whaling captain. cOrrObOrates the state
ment and also says that about the year
1876 Captain SpOoner. OF the whaleship Era.
OF Newport, r. l., told him that his wife.
a native OF the Friendly islands in the
South Pacific while in swimming had q
leg bitten OF by shark. she was rescued,
but lived only short time
In addition 10 the testimony obtained by
Judge Defriez 1 have the following from
Mrs Lydia Selden, OF Nantucket. In $50
she was on board OF a steamer bound for
New York from California or Acap.tfr,,
Mex. large shark pursued the-Sfip and
came so near that they captdfed and killed
him. and inside or him tley found a mar.s
arm, terrible sight. witch am hands were
called TO see. A long. detailed account VS.
published d. IN the New f5edford Mercury In