22 WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW TO CATCH FISH 



him. He had all to learn about sharks. While swimming along he 

 suddenly disappeared. 



" * In or about 1883 a steamboat on the coast of South Carolina 

 sighted a balloon descending. It failed to land and came across the 

 beach, dragging the balloonist over the water. A school of sharks, 

 with a great splashing, leaped out of the water and caught the 

 aeronaut. 



" ' In 1895 a Florida mail carrier was crossing an inlet in a boat. 

 He was seen fighting sharks with his oar. The sharks pulled his boat 

 to pieces and the man disappeared. 



" ' It was about 1853 that Capt. George Jacob Hanscheldt, who 

 was born and raised in Charleston, chanced to be knocked overboard 

 near Fernandina bar. A large shark, seen at the side, had now dis- 

 appeared and all to be seen of the captain was a bloody streak in the 

 water. The skipper had dressed to go ashore to call on his sister, 

 who was on a visit to Fernandina from Charleston. Captain Han- 

 scheld had just said, looking at the shark, ' I hope it is not me you are 

 waiting for, old boy.' 



" ' A boy was badly lacerated by a shark in a creek near Jackson- 

 ville in 1898 or 1899. Many newspaper articles discussed the ques- 

 tion as to whether it was a shark or an alligator. ' Old Sea Captain,' 

 in a Florida paper, had the last say. His experience of many-years 

 taught him to know that a shark would not eat a man. Such ignor- 

 ance may lead many venturesome swimmers to a horrible death. 



" ' In 1899 two Jacksonville pilots had a frightful experience with 

 sharks. The pilots were pulling ashore on the St. Johns. The sharks 

 plunged about and under the boat, biting and pulling at the oars, 

 and there was great danger of the boat being swamped or turned over. 



" 'In 1896, three men swimming ashore from a filibuster were 

 met by a shark, which passed the first man and took the second one. 

 A ship's crew in the water near their vessel in the Mediterranean had 

 a shark come among them and take the carpenter, who was the center 

 man of the group. 



" ' The above are only a few examples. I hardly think there is 

 room for doubt on the subject. ' ' ' 



