Evening journal., 1904-05-13


side. leaplng clumsily along the edges
Of the kelp. Bewildered land birds
perched on the schooner's rigging, and
in the early morning the whlstling Of
quail could be heard on shore near
where a little fresh water stream ran
down TO meet the ocean,
1t was Wilbur who caught the first
shark on the second morning OF the
Bertha's advent in Magdalena bay A
store of bait had been accumulated,
split and halved into chunks for the
shark hooks, and Wilbur, batting one
Of the huge lines that had been brought
up on deck the evening before. flung it
overheard and watched the glimmer of
the white fish meat turning to a sill
very green as it sank down among the
kelp. Almost instantly a long, moving
shadow, just darker than the blue green
mass of the water, identified itself at a
little distance.
Enormous hulSes proceeded from ell
ther side, an erect dorsal fin, like an
enormous cocks crest. rose from the
back, while Immediately over the head
swan the two pilot fish, following so
closely the movement OF the shark as
TO give the impression OF actually ad-
herring to his body. Twice and three
times the great man eater, twelve feet
from snout 10 tail tip, circled fanlize
through the water. Once he came up,
touched the bait with his nose and
backed easily away. He disappeared,
returned and poised himself motionless
in the schooner's shadow, feeling the
water with his flukes.
Moran. was looking over Wilbur's
shoulder Hes as good as caught"
she muttered. "Once let them get sight
of meat, and Steady. nowg The
shark moved forward. Suddenly, with
a long, easy roll. he turned completely
upon his back His white belly flashed
like silver IN the water. The bait dis
appeared.
You've got him." shouted Moran.
The rope slid through WhSur's palms,
burning the skin as the huge sea wolf
sounded. Moran laid hold. Tie heavy,
sullen wrenching from below twitched
and swayed their bodies and threw
them against each other. Her bare,
cool arm was pressed close over his
knuckles
"Heave~ she cried, laughing with
the excitement of the moment. "Heave
all.' She began the chant Of sailors
hauling at the ropes. Together and
bracing their feet against the schoon-
er's rail- they fought out the fight with
the great fish. In a swirl of lather the
head and shoulders came above the sur
face, the fukes churning the water TN
II boiled like the wake of screw
steamship. But MS soon as these great
fins were clear Of the surface the shark
fell quiet and helpless.
Charlie came up with the cutting-in
spade and as the fish hung still over
the side cut him open from neck TO bel
ly with a single movement. Another
Chinaman stood by with a long han
died gaff, hooked out the purple black
liver, brought It over the side and
dropped it into one Of the deck tubs.
The shark thrashed and writhcd, his
flukes quivering and his gills distended.
Wilbur could not restrain an exclama-
tion.
BRUTAL business" he muttered.
"Hoh," exclaimed Moran scornfully;
"cutting-in is too good for him. Sailor
folk are no friends Of such carrlon as
thatg
Other lines were haited and dropped
overheard. and the hands settled q m
selves 10 the real business Of The ex-
pedltion. There was no skill in the
matter The sharks bit ravenously
and soon swarmed about the schooner
IN hundreds. Hardly n half minute
passed that one of the four Cinnamon
that were fishing did not signal a
ratch, and Charlie and Jim were kept
busy with spade and gaff BY noon
/ the deck tubs We're full. The lines
were hauled in. and the hands set the
! tubs in the sun to Try out the oil. Tn
der the tropical heat the shark livers
almost vis.bly melted away, and by 4
o'clock in the afternoon the tubs were
full OF thick, yellow OIL the reek OF
which instantly recalled TO Wilbur's
mind the rancid smell Of the schooner
on the day when he had first come
aboard OF her. The deck tubs were
emptied into a hogshead and yats that
stood. IN the waist OF the Bertha. the