The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-06-22
Is COURT1NG DEATH.
NARROWING GIANT sHAHx A
HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING..
Story Of . Ships Grew Fastened To
Monster Of the Sea and Led Q
Long and Desperate
Chase.

Chase.
Ahead. not 200 feet distant rose the
back and dorsal fin of the basking shark
that, aside from the triangular shaped
I'm, might have been log awash But
there was no doubt of its true nature,
relates the Metropolitan Magazine, the
giant of the tribe, the huge animal
which in the eighteenth century was
so common off the New England coast
that II constituted regular fishery
individuals being taken which, meas.
ured from so to 20 feet in length, hav-
ing a wide range and found in various
seas to-day.
1t was this giant that now loomed
up ahead; true TO its name--baskin 2
In the summer sun. The captain was
the harpooner and took his place In
the bow, and the two men rowed slow.
ly and carefully on, following the di.
rections of the watchful skipper in
the bow. Larger grew the strange
object. the biggest of the sharks OF
fishes in the popular sense. taking a
colossal sun bath. The dory came up
on the port quarter OF the fish at a
respectful distance from the tail. tae
top CT which lay just at the surface
tanning the sea, Slowly the dory
moved on, the men lifting their oars
carefully not even feathering, aGd
when near the shark they gave long
surge and the dory shot quickly along.
side. For a second the skipper could
have stepped upon this living giant
island, against which the sea was
breaking on the windward side, and
doubtless the temptation was strong
as he hesitated ana made move az
If he would jump, then lifting The
harpoon, with all his force he drove /.
into the yielding flesh of the somno.
lent animal
AS the thud of the blow sounded
"Starn ALL rang out, and the four
oars struck the water and the dory
shot backward with a force that near.
ly sent the helmsman on his face.
Back with her. back hard!" shout
ed the harpooner. springing astern, not
a moment too soon. as the huge mass
rolled clumsily then rose several feet
and out of the water came colossal
tail like a catapult, sweeping from
side TO side. grinding the water intS
foam. fatal to any object that might
have been in its path; then the water
swallowed 1t up. The 3ory was head
ed after the fish and the men began
to row in the direction it had taken
30 80 ,t.n hA ~
came and the tow really began.
Half the rope was gone and it was
still leaping like a snake from the
tub A slight hitch, foul and some.
thing would have to give. Two-thirds
gone and still flying and something
smoking. Down ALL" Skipper and
oarsmen dropped into the seats and
rowers held their oars as the last coli
leaped over, the cable came taut, lift.
ing the water in a line of silver fol-
100 feet, then jerked the dory ahead
with force that Would have sent an!
standing man overheard.
The fish was away. the race was on
Evidently the shark was not so feet
down and rising. 1t had taken a.
course due north and was holding K
flying along at the top of it's speed
impelled by fear, pain and rage.
A sea had picked up and the dor!
occasionally met one. passing through
under pressure, and a cloud of spume
which the landsman at the steering
oar faced, drenched but filled with the
splendid possibilities of this sport and
its excitement. The shark began
long turn. sweeping around in the arc
of circle, literally taking the back
track like a fox.
The water is boiling beneath the
box, the tail of the game, and the mer
take a turn. breathe hard a moment
"catch their wind and stand by for
the last haul. No chanty now, the
skipper gives the word by raising his
pole and the men give way and rur
the boat aboard the big game. and
down into it's body. not far from the
fin. the skipper pounds his lance
jamming it home.
At the motion the men cast OF
grasp the oars that are ready in the
oarlocks and send .the dory ahead
and to starboard, deftly clearing the
swing of the tail as 1t rises and lashes
the water into foam.
The shark has lost its steerage way:
II wallows in the sea, now shoots
ahead; then, like ship that has shift
ed her ballast, rushes ahead, rolls
heavily and desperately. stops ant
while the men stand and wipe their
faces and the landsman waves his cap
the great basker. the sun worshiper
lies prone and motionless-he is dead.