The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-22
SAW SAILOR KILLED
IN FIGHT WITH SHARKS.
Tragic Encounter In Ocean OF Port
of Havana.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.


Havana, Oct. eff any one aboard
the outbound steamer from Havana
for New Orleans last Sunday morning
doubted the existence of man-eating
sharks in Cuban waters, those doubts
were forever put to rest while within
sight of the city.
AS one of the sailors was hauling
down the Cuban flag a short distance
out Of port he fell backward into the
water. A boat was lowered at once
and FASTENED toward him, he was seen
to be splashing water with his hands,
and the practiced eyes of his fellow
sailors knew that he had been attack
ed by sharks. Hoping to hasten his
rescue, they threw him a rope, He
seized it eagerly, but it proved to be
a fatal move. The instant he quit
fighting the water the sharks lost fear,
1t became a race between the men in
the boat and the deep sea monsters.
The latter won.
The rest is soon told. There were
three sharks, and they attacked their
victim viciously. 1t was CHASTITY play
that the passengers on the ship
watched-the three brutes struggling
for one man. Some turned away, UNI
able to look on any longer When the
sailors finally succeeded in snatching
the prey life was all but gone, and
death came within few minutes.
The ship turned back to the city to
leave the body of the unfortunate
sailor, then went on it's way again.
This incident is attracting much at
tention and comment in the city, for
it is the first well authenticated case
of a living man being attacked by a
shark that has occurred during the
past five years. From time to time
other stories have become current, but
none has gained much belief, as inves-
LEGATION showed that they were found
ed on circumstantial evidence; no one
had seen the shark-the only fact
known was that the man in the water
had disappeared There has been a great
deal of discussion. both public and pri-
vate, on the subject, and, while the
majority of persons believed that these
sharks would attack living persons,
very few knew positively OF their haV-
ing done so.
One man, in his desire to learn def
nitely whether these sharks are of the
man-eating variety, offered a reward
of $1,000 for any we'll authenticated
case. 1t has been suggested that the
sad occurrence of Sunday be brought
to his attention and the money turned
over to the family of the dead sailor
There has been some talk of the City
Council offering bounty for sharks,
since they are so numerous; but as
yet this has developed into nothing
more than a suggestion
Occasionally a sharks fin may be
seen in the bay. but seldom, as they
avoid places where there is so much
motion. Cuban boys have no fear of
finding them. at all events, inasmuch
as they make a practice of swimming
there, and, if reports be true, Ameri-
can soldiers have no fear of finding
them, either, since they often swim
from Moro Castle to Punta Castle,
which is where the bay merges into the
open sea.
Sharks live in deep water, so the two
or three coves near the city are free
from them, and no one feels that there
is any danger in surf bathing there.
But these beaches are several miles
from the city, and the majority of per-
sons take their sea baths in the con-
fired spaces cut out of the solid rock
along the shore. Each bath is separ-
ated from the deep sea by thin wall
of rock, in the upper part of which Is
an opening for the water. To prevent
sharks or large fish from coming in,
also several rows of barbed wire are
stretched across this opening.
Cuba offers no more exciting sport
than shark fishing. Some of this is
done from the shore near MORO, where
garbage is thrown, but the game is too
large to land. and frequently sWlmS
away with the bait.
The best way of enjoying this sport
is from small boat. skiff. such as
may be seen by the dozens in the har-
Dor, and the time par excellence is the
early morning, the start being made
long before daybreak. Two or three
men find that it requires all of their
efforts to manage the expedition prop
erly, for, after the shark takes the
bait, exciting times ensue until he is
tired enough to be towed into port.
If there is a breeze the sail is raised
and the boat goes out a mile or so be-
yond the Moro: If there is no breeze
a pair of oars carry it to its destina-
ton. A bucket of bait-most unsavory
to the nostrils, since it Is decayed meat
and fish-is an important part OF the
boats equipment; another is a long,
stout rope, at the end Of which Is an
iron hook about eight inches long and
of the ordinary shape: usually gun
is carried for fear of accident.
Having arrived at the fishing ground,
the hook is baited properly, then
thrown out into the water. the greater
part of the rope being left coiled in the
bottom of the boat. All eyes are kept
open for signs of sharks, and If any
are discovered the line is cast in their
direction.
When the bait is taken the excite
ment begins; the monster dashes hith-
er and thither in his mad efforts to free
himself from the hook, and the boat
goes with him by spasmodic jerks,
and at an unpleasant speed. 1t seems
as though the shark was determined
to destroy 1t. The man managing the
rope stands. The coil of rope is I'M
wound by the sharks movements. UNI
til ii is all out. only the end remain
ing, fastened to the boat. Unlucky
for the man standing, If his feet be-
come entangled in the rapidly unwind
ing rope, or If he loses his balance in
the boats leaps; the other sharks at
tracted by the same bait that lured the
captured one, would claim him and
find no thorn in the shape of hook
One of the other men has the gun ready
in case such an emergency should
ar.sa.
When the shark becomes tired out
the order of things is reversed, and
the boat lows the game into port. The
sight is always a novelty. and attracts
a crowd. Often he is turned over to
fishermen, who may be lounging around
with nothing in particular to do, and
they find sport in dragging him ashore,
his life having been ended by a shot
or so. He weighs several hundred