THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM JOURNAL. 
55 
SHARK HUNTING FOR THE NEW YORK 
AQUARIUM. 
On the day before election in the darkly pop¬ 
ulated city of Fernandina, Florida, there ap¬ 
peared posted in various public places numerous 
placards, that gave out the information that a 
large man-eating Shark was required immediate¬ 
ly, and the larger the better. Many were the 
remarks passed upon the bills, and not a few 
old-time darkies expressed their belief that it was 
a democratic dodge to scare the republicans, 
and on the strength of this the bill near the polls 
was hauled down. The next day, however, 
cleared the matter up, and it was found that a 
party from the great New York Aquarium had 
arrived with the express intention of capturing 
a huge Shark or Devil Fish for their large tanks. 
The season was too far advanced to attempt 
their capture with nets, so we were obliged to 
run the risk of a hook and line. We first, how¬ 
ever, secured the services of a “ first-class” fish¬ 
erman, who also turned out to be one of the 
“city fathers,” and if his statesmanship does 
not excel his fishing we tremble for the future of 
Florida. 
The day after our arrival we furnished our¬ 
selves with a huge steel hook and chain, a line 
about two hundred feet long, a very tough steak 
for bait, and set sail for Tiger Island, a supposed 
favorite basking place for Sharks. We soon 
reached it and drove a huge log into the sand 
as insurance on the line and, having run it out in¬ 
to the stream, sat down to watt, Occasionally a fin 
would be seen lazily cutting the water, but noth¬ 
ing could induce them to indulge. On the 
next tide we tried Cumberland Island at different 
locations, with the same success. Fortune would 
not favor us, and at last we determined to go 
further South. Before leaving, however, we 
drew an immense net, that almost reached from 
island to mainland, and the result proved the 
barrenness of the locality, as our only catch was 
a very small Shark, a fine Porcupine Fish, and 
a goodly variety of the black Echinus or Sea 
Eggs. These were placed in a cove to wait for 
a steamer, but were unfortunately run into by a 
tug at the dock and completely ruined, and as 
we could not secure the net for a second trial 
were obliged to give it up. 
Our attention was now directed to Smyrna, 
two hundred miles south, and after receiving a 
promising letter from the owners of the schoon¬ 
ers that ran between there and civilization, we 
“up line” and started. Our tank was a huge 
box, fifteen feet long by four feet wide and three 
high, and weighed over nine hundred pounds; 
and upon overhauling the schooner on the St. 
Johns river we found that our box would almost, 
if not quite, fill her, and again we were doomed 
to despair. We were then on the bar of the St. 
Johns—a “noted Shark resort in the summer”— 
and as a last chance we determined to try for the 
one that might have over-stayed his time. On 
one side a collection of huts have the title of 
Mayport, and here, on an immense shifting sand 
bank, we took up our quarters. The first day’s 
efforts were fruitless, but on the third we had a 
nibble. The boat was hauled half out of water, 
the line run out about fifty feet and made fast to it, 
baited with a tempting bass that weighed about 
twenty pounds; and stretched on the sand in the 
hot sun we dosed and waited. Suddenly a 
splash was heard, and the stone that told of bites 
had disappeared. We rushed to the boat and 
soon had the line, which was slowly running out, 
in hand. Whispers of “give him plenty of 
slack,” “cast off the anchor,” and “keep clear 
of the line,” were given, and we were ready to 
sound him. We gave about twenty feet of line, 
the bait being large, and then, as the line came 
taut, we jerked the hook into our first Shark. 
The effort on our part was returned with good 
earnest. The rope rushed out with lightning 
velocity; now swaying up and down as the huge 
fish rushed from side to side; now he cleared 
the water and shook his ugly jaw in his vain at¬ 
tempts to escape, and showed us that we had 
what we wanted as regards size. 
The boat had been pushed off, and we were 
going over the bar and out to sea at an unenvi¬ 
able speed, shipping water at every jump. We 
passed Pelican Bank and then our steed com¬ 
menced to show signs of fatigue, and we grad¬ 
ually commenced to haul in, and in a few mo¬ 
ments more found him close along side and 
well in hand. A noose was now rigged around 
his tail, and after a round of thrashing and cov¬ 
ering us with water we hauled him along side, 
head on with the boat, and slowly pulled for 
home, about two miles distant. This was no 
easy matter, as a heavy sea was running, which, 
with the movements of his Sharkshj/b, made it 
aimos'O^pafsi' ke JflfSIf Hl~ 
prev-ik drowning, and before) we reached the 
dock fie was so weak that the best medical skill 
of the Aquarium expedition failed to save him. 
In this manner we lost several, and after many 
trials, night and day, we succeeded in hooking 
one from the dock whereon our tank was placed 
for shipment. A large boat was borrowed from 
Capt. Johnson, the genial chief of pilots, and 
filled with water, and our victim placed within 
in fine condition and watched with jealous care. 
The steamer Dictator was due in two days, and 
arrangements were completed to use her pumps, 
etc. The tank was overhauled and filled, and 
we bade good-bye, “in expectation,” to Shark¬ 
ing. That night it clouded up and grew colder; 
fires were built for the first time in years; and 
the sun rose the next morning upon a very much 
frozen Shark; the ice in our tank was almost 
strong enough to bear one. We unpacked our 
bags and baited again, but so cold was the 
weather that the fish left the river, and we were 
forced at last to give it up. Others were after¬ 
wards secured on Nassau river, but could not be 
kept; and even if they had been started the 
continued rough weather on the coast would 
have ruined all. 
We now turned in the direction of Tampa, 
but as we were about to start I received word 
that so severe had been the cold on the gulf 
coast that fish of all kinds, from the Shark to 
the Angle-fish, were piled upon the beach in 
immense heaps, and farmers were carting them 
to the plantations — frozen hard and fast in 
“sunny Florida.” 
A fine Octopus or Devil-fish was captured at 
Cedar Iveys, but it sqcc.qntbeij tg the climate 
before it could be placed in the Aquarium. Such 
a winter has not been known in Florida for 
thirty years, and has not only interfered with 
the pros' octs of the Aquarium, but has laid 
waste property that time can only replace. In 
the Spring, when the more beautiful creatures 
come into shoal water, they will be captured 
for the Aquarium, and will render its now hand¬ 
some collection first among like institutions 
of the world. C. F. H. 
POISONOUS FISH. 
The London Lancet says:—“We have re¬ 
ceived a letter ''published in a colonial paper) 
from Dr. Houghton, principal Government 
medical officer in Sarawak, containing partic¬ 
ulars relative to a poisonous fish found on the 
coast of Borneo, and common to the rivers in 
Sarawak, which he thinks may prove interest¬ 
ing to the profession. To surgeons afloat it 
should be a matter of considerable importance. 
The fish is called the Inkam Buntal, and is by 
no means pleasant to look at, being flabby and 
covered with short spines, having the power 
of blowing itself out in a globular form, and 
when handled in this state it emits a sound 
something like a grunt, Some few days be¬ 
fore the date of Dr Houghton’s letter he was 
called to visit a number of persons who were 
reported to be dying. On going io the vari¬ 
ous houses he found thirteen had been seized 
with symptoms of poisoning after eating the 
succumbed to the effects of the poison, and 
were lying dead. The remaining ten Dr. 
Houghton was fortunate enough to restore 
after vigorous treatment, consisting in stim¬ 
ulating emetics, friction of the body, and ap¬ 
plication of warmth, and cajuput oil in small 
doses. The appearance presented by those 
attacked, and who recovered, were dilated 
pupils, blueness of lips, spasms of throat, 
contractions of the limbs, stertor, with great¬ 
ly lowered temperature. In those who died 
the tongue was white and mottled, the mouth 
showing a peculiar blueness. The time which 
elapsed from eating the fish to that of death 
was from 20 to thirty minutes. In searching 
for parallel cases it was found that some years 
ago two sailors were poisoned from eating a 
small portion of the liver of the same kind of 
fish ( Te.traodon solandri) at the Cape of Good 
Hope, and died in seventeen minutes. Large 
quantities are eaten by the Malays and Dy- 
aks, who have many peculiar superstitions 
connected with the mode of cooking, in which, 
perhaps, may be found the secret of the im¬ 
munity enjoyed, as a rule, from the effects of 
the fish. One of the remedies in which the 
natives have much faith is the curious process 
of placing the sufferer on a platform of sticks 
on which the fish is smoked, and keeping up 
a good fire underneath, sufficiently guarded 
not to burn the body. 
Among the recent features of peculiar in¬ 
terest at the Aquarium, is fresh water tank 
number 18, filled with Salmon hatched in the 
Aquarium. 
