Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-12
PROFESSIONAL SHARK HUNTERS
Descendants of Vikings Make Up
Crews For the Work.

This strictly commercial business OF
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 be found in any num-
Der among the codfishers Of Hammer
fest and Tromso. And a magnificent
race of men they are! Accustomed
from boyhood to a life Of hardship
they have a way of treating Father
Neptune with a slightly contemptuous
toleration, like an old friend Of some
what uncertain temper whose rapid
changes from smiling benevolence to
wild, clustering anger are on the whole
rather amusing than otherwise.
They care nothing for danger and
little for suffering-in themselves OF
in others. Why, then, should they
stop to think that perhaps a manned
but still living shark can feel?
The fishing Is done off the coast OF
Iceland in about eighty fathoms Of wa
ter. Three or four gallowslike struct-
ures are rugged up around the sides OF
the sloop, and from each Of these hangs
pulley block, over which runs q
strong rope; and to the end of this the
baited 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 one OF
these gal!owsike fishing rods will have
its fish hooked and fighting for life all
at the same time.
There is no playing the fish; II
is not necessary or possible, and the
powerful tackle is hardly likely to
break, no matter how fiercely the
hooked 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 nc
very serious strain on the tackle. II
he does now and then get away 1t Is
not because he ever manages to break
the line, but because a lightly fixed
hook easily tears through the soft car
tilaginous skeleton Of his head, and sc
sets him free.
AS soon as a shark has taken one OF
the bats the hauling tackle attached
to his particular gallows Is manned
and without any superfiuous fuss OF
ceremony he is hauled up to the sloor
and hoisted just clear of the water.
He Is not brought on board at 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 la
ter Then his eyes are put out and he
Is cut adrift-to go 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, be such a cruel one
as at first appears. 1t Is this. the
fishermen say, that unless they put out
the sharks eyes he will afterward
cause them a lot of trouble by coming
and taking the bait a second time.
1t sounds incredible, but the state
ment is thoroughly well authenticated
by eye witnesses who have seen a liv-
erless shark do just this very thing
Scientists, doubtless. are right in say
ing that the shark (Which by anatom-
local classification is one Of the lowest
of the fishes) does not feel pain in the
way more highly organized animals
feel 1t. We will cling to that belief
for it is consoling-to us. If not the
shark, who is thus sacrificed that his
liver may supply us with-what?
It Is a secret not to be spoken aloud
Norway. is one of the great centres Of
the cod trade. and from cod is made
cod liver oil. and-shark's liver oil
tastes and looks exactly like it.-Pear-
sons Magazine.