The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-03-01
HUNTERS OF SHARK.
DESCENDANTS OF VIKINGS EN-
GAGGED IN THE WORK.
Some Particulars Of the Business as
1t Is Carried On by the Rugged
Fishermen of Nor
way,


This strictly commercial business OK
shark hunting is done in small sloops,
whose headquarters are in the more
northerly Norwegian ports. The crews
are for The most part made up OF pure
blooded descendants of the vikings,
who are still to lie found in any NUM-
ber among the codilshcrs Of Hammer
Test and Tromso. And a magnificent
race OF men they are. says Pedrsons
Magazine. Accustomed from boyhOod
10 life of hardship. they have a way
Of treating Father Neptune with
slightly contemptuous toleration, Ike
IN old friend OF somewhat uncertain
temper, whose rapid changes nom
smiling benevolence TO wild, bl er-
ing anger are on the whole rather
amusing than otherW .se.
They care nothing for danger and
little for suffering-in themselves or
In others. Why. then. should they stop
TO think that perhaps a MANNED but
still living SHARK can feel?
The fishing is dore OFF the coast OF
Iceland in about 80 fathoms of water.
Three or four gal .owslike structures
are rigged up around the sides OF the
sloop. and from each OF those hangs a
pulley block. over which runs a strong
rope; and to the end + this the bait: d
hook is fastened. A plentiful supply
of ground bait is thrown out to attract
the quarry. and such is the eagerness
with which the sharks take the bait
that sometimes each of these gallows-
like fishing rods will have its fish
hooked and fighting for life all at the
same time.
There is no playing" the fish, 1t is
not necessary or possible, and the
powerful tackle is hardly likely to
break no matter how fiercely the shark
may struggle. But the shark is not,
for his size, game fish; and, except
when he Is actually being hoisted up
out OF the water, there is no very seri-
Gus strain on the tackle. II he does
now and then get away 1t Is not be-
cause he ever Manages to break The
line, but because a lightly fixed hook
easily tears through the soft cartlsgi-
nous skeleton of his head and so sets
him free.
AS soon as a shari, has taken one OF
the baits the hauling tackle attached
to his particular gallows is manned,
and without any superfluous fuss or
ceremony he is hauled up to the sloop
and hoisted clear of the water.
He is not brought on board a. all,
but with a few bold slashes his liver
is cut out as he hangs. and Is thrown
into tub. to be further dealt with
later. Then his eyes are put out and
he Is cut adrift-to so and complete the
tardy process Of dying where and how
he pleases.
All this sounds very horrible. but
there Is one curious fact which goes
far to make us believe that this death
cannot, after all, he such a cruel one as
ct first appears. II is this. the fisher
men say. that unless they put out the
sharks eyes he will afterward cause
them a lot Of trouble by coming and
taking the bait second time.
II sounds incredible but the state
ment Is thoroughly well authenticated
by eye witnesses who have seen n liv-
erless shark do just this very thing
Scientists doubtless. are right in say
ing that the shark (Which by anaton-
ical classification is one OF the lowest
OF the fishes) does not feel pain in the
way more highly organized animsis
feel It. We will cling to that belief
for 1t Is consoling--to MS. II not To the
shark, who is thus sa-rifced that his
liver may supply us with-what?
1t Is secret not TO be spoken aloud.
Norway is one of the great centers OF
the cod trade. and from the cod Is
made cod liver oil and-shark's liver
oil tastes and looks exactly like IT,