Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-13

watch despite his great agony.
1900 Hours: The sun is out.
At last I can Ak our position.
Latitude Al degrees IA E.N.N.
Just as I am doing so look to
the Starboard, and there, about
two yards of, I see a shark.
Sharks are a menace. Once
or twice we have felt them snap
at the ropes that bind the RATS
logs, and the foundation of our
precarious world is at stake.
I shout "a shark. boys" and
jump for a harpoon. CASTOR
and Marc come out of the cabin
at top speed and seize a harpoon.
We are ready for battle with the
shark. This gentleman circles
the raft. sometimes to STAR
board, sometimes to port. Finally
he appears at the stern and
comes straight to me.
am not sure what part OF
the body is most vulnerable, but
/ plant the harpoon in the
middle of him. The first reac-
ton is slow, and I am able tc
hold him by the rope attached
to the harpoon. Suddenly he
passes right under the raft
nearly dragging me after him
4 find myself fiat on my face.
The shark frees himself, ano
when I bring the harpoon back
on deck I find it is twisted in a
45-degree angle, with a piece
OF flesh hanging from its teeth
JULY "a
1,40O Hours: A ship is steering
for us. She is a liner with two
tunnels. Looking through the
binoculars I can see her name
the Liberte. She comes close, and
many people line her rails, way
ing at us. We signal back with
shouts and handwaves, and they
know that we are well.
E Now Liberte, instead of cross
ing in front of us as her course
should take her, swings astern
of us. In accordance with Gus
tom, steam gives way to sail!
We dip our ragged Canadian
flag in salute, and the Liberte
lets out three enormous blasts
on her siren. almost setting the
sea a-bolling.
Marc. our humorist. seizes the
tiny foghorn and blows three
small toots in reply. Such is the
absurdity of this scene-dignity
versus impudence. $4,000 tons
versus 10 tons.
JULY 70
CASTOR and Marc are busy
making doughnuts, when notice
schools of small fish circling
the raft, passing beneath it and
seeming TO suggest in their quick
movements that they must es-
cape something they fear. I get
out the trident to see If l can
bring some fresh food aboard
to enrich the connection my
mates are brewing. / stand back,
ready to strike.
Immediately am aware that
a crowd of huge gulls are circling
astern of us. shrieking Savagely.
Then I see the dorsal fin of a
shark emerge about 100 yards
abeam Of us. Coming at us, he
begins a tour of inspection of
the raft. He is a superb specimen
OF blue shark, about 10 feet long.
CASTOR goes back to the cabin
for his camera. Marc and I pick
up harpoons. The shark swims
close to our port bow and snaps
at the ropes which hang in the
water. Marc heaves his harpoon
and gets it home between the
head and the two fms. The
shark rolls and dives for the
depths.
Marc is barely able to hang on
to the rope, which flies through
his fingers, kissing as it passes
over the deck. If only the har-
pooh stays putt The shark re-
turns to the surface and dives
several times, but the harpoon is
still in his body.
Now We are going to try to
bring him up again, to plant
another harpoon. After a quar-
ter Of an hour Marc succeeds in
hauling the shark almost to
water level. ! take advantage Of
this by plunging my harpoon a
few inches from the first. We
can see that the two harpoons
have gone right through the
shark, from side to side. -
To our establishment. with a
powerful fiirt Of his tail, the
shark dives once more. Our
hands are scorched by the fire Of
the rope as 1t follows the shark
fathoms down.
Now another maneuver comes
to our minds. II we can pass a
lasso round his tail we will be
sure OF holding him. We bring
him to the surface again, and
CASTOR. lasso in hand. manages
to get it round. We tie the other
end TO a transom.
The first phase OF the battle Is
won. Now We must wait for the
shark to exhaust himself be-
fore We can heave him ID to
the deck forward.
Two hours have elapsedT W,