Year: 1871

The schooner George VI. Bache, of the
United States Coast Survey Service, un
der command Of Assistant w. E
that prince of good fellows, was detailed
for service during the winter of 1867 on
the southwest coast Of Florida. | was a
subordinate officer on the staff of Assist
ant E, and one morning shortly af-
ter our arrival in Charlotta Harbor, was
sent ashore in charge of a boats crew for
the purpose of locating and erecting a
signal station Cor tripod as it is termed in
the service) on the beach of the main
| md within the harbor After locating


h, station and superintending the main
points of the construction, l left the men
in charge of the quartermaster who was
N, of the party, and taking a boat hook
started off in search of stingarees, spe
ces of the fny tribe of the flat order,
being about one-third greater in length
than in width, and in thickness resem-
bling the founder. They have long rat
ike tails averaging from base to tip about
double the length of the body. The
stings from which these ugly looking
creatures derive their name are located at
the base of the tail, and consists of two
hornlike protuberances from which they
eject matter not deadly poison in its
nature, but which, instilled into the blood
produces terrible sores. There is but lit
tie danger however, of receiving their
sting except in stepping upon them una
wares in the water. There is much spor.
in hunting these fish, the tails being tro-
phies sought after. They swim about in
circles, especially upon being attacked
and wounded Our weapon of warfare
was nothing more than an ordinary boat
hook, using the point as spear, and
when available, the hook to capture and
drag in shore the game. Of course We
were obliged to enter the water in the
pursuit of the fish, but this was no hard
ship as we were waist deep in water
about half our time.


On the day in question, l had started
up good sized stingaree, probably about
three feet in width to two in length with
"beauty of TAIL" and soon the hunt
became interesting. Twice had pierced


its body with the boat hook. and the wa
ter in its immediate neighborhood became
dyed with blood. The shoals extended
out nearly mile in many places in Char
lotte harbor, and l. in my excitement had
waded out full half this distance from
the shore, and at least a mile away from
my men. The thought of danger never
once entered my head. although the har-
Dor was full of sharks, many of them
from twelve to fifteen feet in length
My feet and legs were bare, my trowsers
being rolled up high as possible. But
had gone out some distance from that
depth, the water being up to my waist,
and not dreaming of peril was bent upon
the capture of the fish l was pursuing =
Suddenly, but why could never com
prehend, turned my eyes from the stin-
garee and looked out into the harbor l
never saw that singaree again for my
heart almost cease to beat as l beheld a
monstrous shark, that had no doubt
scented the blood of the wounded fish,
coming in a direct line for the place
where l was standing. A feeling Of
horror pervaded me at once. Powerless,
death stricken it seemed, gave one fear
ful yell-Shark-and giving one despair
ing agonizing look towards my men a
mile away, 1 turned my eyes almost
starting from their sockets upon the mon
ster from which l expected the most hor-
rible death. The agony and mental tor
ture of that fearful moment can never be
described or forgotten /; it makes me
shudder now to recall it. As the shark