The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-08-23


pose it's because a. shark has kind
Of elastic cartilage instead of bone
hut know no eel was ever freer In Its
motions. And he could turn, not only
IN his long length, but as If on pivot
though now in nature he could do II
with nothing but fins and tail beat me
But the times when he came In be-
bind me or dropped down from the
surface TO see me working-thoae were
minutes when the only feeling l had
was cold, sick dread. He would hang
there. his nose almost under my atm
or over my shoulder could feel the
water move with him he was so close
and look on like big dog Watching
man whitewash a fence.
He wasn't ugly or threatening,
r'ercly Interested in lazy, casual sort
tf way. But while he was there l
never moved, even to turn my head.
above, and | caught a glimpse of his
great blunt muzzle and crescent jaws
ragged with arrowhead teeth, l would
make one gasping VOW that II | got
up safely no money would ever get
RE down again.
But once out of water and on the
tug among the men. hadn't the spunk
10 speak. Two words to the boss and
led have had the shark put out Of
business in no time, some way or 9TH
or. Not one diver in 20 has his right
courage under water. but I was too
young to acknowledge that then.
pretended that I'd got used to my visi-
tcr-ind"cj. that was rather interest
cd in watching him.
Il don't suppose fooled them much.
Tivey, the engineer, seemed to guess
the truth of the matter. anyway, and
with an old mans delight in picking
On younger one, he did what he
could to add TO my misery. He'd throw
cut hi; greasy waste whenever the
brute came around. by way of keeping
L from deserving. And sometimes
when l was up. he'd pitch a piece of
FORK nailed to barrel stave It's jaws
would clash on it like bcar-trap, AMI
the old fellow would chuckle horribly
and say: Wait till We get absent
some time down below. and
move your arm too sudden. You'll
find that everything that moves quick
IS pork to him.
''Thcn the next time the brute came
near me | would sit all hunChed to-
gether, and as felt him nose me. now
this side, now that, l quaked as if
fl on squirt of icy water. Once he
brushed me with his elephants ear Of
a forward fin and rolled his great
eirt h against me as he turned. stiff
fened out with jerk that almost
spilled me off the sings.
''Well, that sort of thing couldn't
20 on. and it didn't but the end of it
came from direction and with
hadn't had any hope Of
AS you may know, a good many Key
West spoDgers. when regular business
r slack, do little 'tiger-killing. For
, sharks about half liver. and it tries
,ut gallons to a Gods gills. though of
curse the quality's inferior. Now 1t
:eemed the Batabano people were in
he habit OF doing some occasional
too.
"Orn night, when we'd been singing.
heir captain turned to me and asked
i wanted some 'fon-a?' | said I dill.
What did he do then but offer me the
Use of his harpoon and line and two
'o]lars for my time If I'd get him my
accepted the offer quick
y enough, and the other men were
teen for tie sport.
EARLY the next morning the spong-
RS brought over their line, There
vas hundred fathoms of it, with a
:jx-foot snood of steel chain and q
egular old-time blubber-spade of q
,arpcon. The men rugged the small |
$ indless for q reel, and had them |
et 1t well up in the bow. figuring to
void fouled lines Then put on ex-
"a weight, for my idea after making |
ny strike was to drop from the sings
ike a plumb, and then lie low on bot
ON. started down in a sort of JOY
us excitement.
Il hadn't much more than laid the
ron down beside me and got to work
hen my groper chickens melted out
f sight. felt the water push against
ny back, and l knew the brute was
nee more behind me.
Il turned, but gradually as a jack
crew. His great torpcdo-shaped head
Jung well within reach. If could get
i'm through that pulpy mackerel
rown! But he suddenly drew back.
saw l would have to do some shadow
The excitement made me
DOL. He hove to. and began to throw
is lazy curves about me. That gave
re broadside chances, but I wouldn't
AXE them. Then, seemingly without
he slightest fear, he turned and came
traight in on me.
Il threw up the iron His vicious bot
eyes caught the quick move
tent with one hungry flash, and the
ext movement the huge curve Of
lujdy white was whirling over at
nd at me! E#$
AZ struck wildly Just below the
preajing reef of jaws, and threw my