The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-28


1t was in May, 1906, that an adven-
ture happened to me which dispelled
once for all in my mind deep-rooted
doubt as to whether a shark would at
tack. a human being in boat.
The weather had been stormy for
some days, but had finally cleared, and
smooth sea tempted me to try my
luck with the "auau,' a fish which is
favorite of mine on account of its
''gamy' qualities.
Embracing in a fourteen-foot flat
bottomed skiff soon after daylight, I
rowed to my fishing ground near the
bell-buoy, a distance of nearly two
miias from the harbor of Honolulu,
anchoring about six hundred feet on
the waikiki side of the buoy.
Sport with the auau was good, and it
was not long before 1 had about forty
of the long, 1.-THE fish, each about two
feet in length, lying in the bottom of
the skiff.
While fishing I had noticed two
sharks pass near me, one of which how
cred around the boat for little while
and then disappeared. Their appear
lance caused me no apprehension, how
ever, for it was no unusual thing to
see sharks near the bell-buoy.
Presently my attention was attracted
by big shark, fully sixteen feet long
and unusually heavily built, which
made dash at a fish that 1 was pull
ing in 1t turned over on it's side in an
'attempt to seize the auau, but I was
a little too quick for it. anu managed
to land my fish safely.
| recognized the shark as "niuhi,"
one of thel argest and fiercest species
found in the local waters, and much
dreaded by the natives on account OF
it's unsavory reputation as a man-eat>
er. Its presence off Oahu is rare, the
fish frequenting the warmer water near
the Equator. Hawaiian tradition says
that the "niuhi'' is seen only after or
during a heavy storm, the disturbed
water having driven it away from its
usual haunts. The scientific name of
this shark is, l believe, Carcharodon
carcharias.
The failure of the big brute to Sc
cure my fish seemed to anger it, and
ii came to the surface again, poking its
head out of the water and regarding
me with malevolent eyes. Then it
swan slowly round the boat, frighten-
ing all the auau away.
Still l did not feel alarmed, but tried
to scare the shark off with an oar,
having no spear or other weapon in the
boat. The man-eater disappeared for
a few minutes and, congratulating my
self on having got rid of such an ugly
customer, L began TO scent up the
water. with the idea of attracting back
the frightened school of auau. I had
hardly started fishing again, however;
when the big shark came to the surface
a few feet from the boat. throwing its
body half out of the water as if intent
on swapping the craft Had he hit the
skiff he would assuredly have wrecked
it. Luckily. the shark miscalculated
its distance and struck the water in
stead, causing a commotion which
rocked my little craft violently.
BY this time I was thoroughly fright
ened. for I recalled stories told me by
natives of gigantic sharks whose habit |
it was to attack small boats until they |
in falling on them. and thus /
brought their occupants within reach |
of their voracious maws.
Hastily pulling up my anchor I START |
ed to row to Kepo Harbor, small !
channel in the reef, and nearly mile |
nearer the shore than the main har- /
Dor. Just then the shark made an /
other great leap out of the water. !
landing on the surface with a terrific /
splash. He repeated this alarming |
maneuyer several times, each time |
coming nearer, his object clearly being /
to fall on the boat.
Thinking 10 pacify the monster. |
threw a fish from my catch into the /
water. and the shark made for it al /
most instantly and devoured it. TAX |
ing advantage of the lull in the brute's /
activity. I made as much headway