The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-01-12
Science at Last
Vindicates the Shark

Tin OF the cld-tine man-eating shark
myth. We regret this because Of the
feelings or the Lakeland Telegram. the
ST Augustine Record, the Panama City
Pilot, and others who have so long
cherished the delussve theory that
Florida waters abound In man-eating
monst1rs commonly known as sharks
Tne Journal has contended that the
shark IL a sea scavenger and q cow
ard: that he eats dead men when he
can find them: that he does not eat
live, moving, kicking men. that he Is
easily scared by any manifestation Of
resistance or attack: and that he does
not deserve tho title Of man-eater.
Now science itself has stepped in to
prove the truth OF The Journals con-
tenfion.
In the American Magazine for Jan
uary appears an article by Cleveland
Moffett describing an invention for
taking motion pictures under the
sea- The invention. which is that
OF Capt. Chas. Williamson Of Norfolk,
Va, consists OF cylindrical tube
which Is lowered from ship to the
bottom OF the ocean On the bottom
Of this tube Is q large cylinder with
heavy glass plates in IT, The pho
tographer with his motion picture
machine occupies a place In the bot
tom Of this cylindrical cage
A powerful electric light 10 lowered
by cable from the ahip and hangs
just above the bottom Of the ocean
where the motion-ricture man is To-
Gated. BY means OF this light. all sea
life. both animal and vegetable. is
plainly visible through the glass OF
the photographers cage. BY this
means some really marvellous under
sea motion pictures have been obtained
and they are probably even now be-
ing shown at various points through
out the United States.
Naturally, what the motion picture
men were most desfrous OF getting
was some good shark pictures. They
wanted the imam eaters in their ma
tive element. They wanted to get a
picture OF q fight between q man and
shark. That was the real thing
the thing about which we have so Of
ten read and which some OF our So
called shark experts OF the state press
view with such horror.
The motion picture men were able
to find plenty OF men who were will
ing to 60 into the water naked and
with no other weapon than a long
knife to challenge 10 mortal combat
these voracious man-ea<ing monsters
in their native waters. But where do
you suppose they had troubie7 Why.
they simply couldn't get shark to
come close enough to q 1--we man to
enable the photographer 20 make a
picture. Then what did they do?
Well. the first thing they ala was to
advertise for an old horse. They bought
q lame. worn-cut animal for eighteen
dollars. shot him, put tho carcass
aboard a ship. ana steamed out to the
field. or rather tho sea. Of combat.
But even with dead horse as bait,
they had trouble in convincing the
shark that no one was going to hurt
him. Let the writer of the story
tell IL:
with everything ready for this
thrilling trial, the barge and bait were
taken outside of Nassau harbor the
next morning and allowed to drift
along the edge OF the deep ocean,
where sharks are always lurking, big,
vicious fellows with dark blue backs
and white bellies. The horse had
been floating here for scarcely fifteen
minutes when a long. shadowy form
was seen gliding, snake like, past the
side or the barge. This shark pres
emily went away and in half an hour
came back with another. Then these
two went away and came back with
two others--and so the hungry COM
pany grew until dozen sharks were
circiing around the horse. But they
were shy, suspicious, no doubt, of the
strange swaying tube that hung be-
low the vessel. and they would not
come up to the horse. swinging there
ternptingly in range of the motion
picture machine"
Now what do you think OF that?
These voracious. hungry. 'man-eaters'
"a dozen OF them circling round
ana round that tempting dead carcass
all shy. suspicious. and afraid OF a |
metal tube stuck down in the water. |
But let the writer OF the story pro-
coed:
.All that day and all the next day