SHARK CATCHING.

North Otago Times, 3 September 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

SHARK CATCHING.

The formidable shark is captured and done to death in a variety of

, ways. The daring South Sea Islanj ders frequently meet them in their ( own element, stabbing them in the ,' belly as they turn to bito, In the . charming tropical atoll known as . Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands, sharks , are caught by their tails I ! Bensath the calm waters of a deep i and spacious lagoon sharks from five i to seven feet long seek the coral ! caves for a quiet sleep. These haunts i are known to the islanders, who ■ form a hunting party, and proceed i to business In the following remark- ■ able way, ; An expert diver, to whom is awarded all the honour and glory, first ascertains if tho sharks are occupying; their bedchambers and are sleeping soundly. Then, noose in hand, he dives from the boat, and securely fastens the rope round the tail of the 6hark nearest to him.' If it is disturbed the intrepid diver soothes it into quiescence by gently stroking it. As soon as the noose is securely adjusted a signal is given, and the shark is' quickly hauled tail first into the boat and dispatched, •This reads very like a tall Dsh story, but it is nevertheless an authentic description of the manner sharks are caught by the natives of Aitutaki, There once lived on this island a celebrated shark catcher named Reubens, whose forefathers had also excelled in this daring Bport. One day while slipping the .-noose over the tail of one of these monsters it moved and blocked 'all egress from the submarine cave, Gently stroking the shark's side he induced it to move away. Massage is very agreeable to the Rhark. hnf. rnn> mnof ho

' auiu to me BnarK, but care must be ■ taken not to stroke it the wrong 1 way or irritate it. Reubena was ■ making his escape, when to bis horror, another shark entered and com- ■ pletely blocked the entrance. To " stroke a shark's head was too perilous a feat even for Reubena, and he was obliged to wait until it quietly passed into the cave.. Almost exhausted and overcome he had just 'strength to gain the sandy bottom ■j outside the cave and spring for the 'surface, where he .was swiftly hauled into the boat by his comrades, pro- • fusely bleeding from the mouth, nose, | and ears. But he captured his' shark, .and, moreover, after being attended , to ashore, he quickly recovered, and ; that same aftoraoon returned and' I secured- several inmates, of the same cave'! /These facts are vouched for not ! only by missionaries, but by the po-,-litical officer now in charge of the i Cook Islands.—T.S.G., Dunedin.