STARTLING ADVENTURE WITH A SHARK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1484, 10 March 1885, Page 2

STARTLING ADVENTURE WITH A SHARK.

The Nelson Colonist has the following story to tell of a “ great sea shark, the monster of the deep For some time past several of these sea monsters have been cruising about the harbor, no doubt in search of any dainty morsel they may chance to pick up. Yesterday afternoon Joe Mallamo, a fisherman, was outside In his boat, when he fell in with a fine specimen of the maneater type, and endeavored to fix a harpoon into it. Immediately on being struck the fish darted off at a rapid pace. Unfortunately Joe had forgotten to reckon with his host, and tied the rope with a running noose round, one of his lege, and before he knew where he was he found himself in the water, following in the wake of his prize. Fortunately, when about twenty fathoms of the rope had paid out, the harpoon came out of the fish, and Joe managed to make his boat again and get aboard. After cruising about for a couple of hours, Joe fell in again with this monster, and this time he tried a large iron hook, which the shark, nothing daunted by the ugly gash the harpoon had left in his back, eagerly seized, and after a desperate struggle Joe secured his fish. Its dimensions are as follows:—Length from nose to tip of tail, 14ft; fin, 3ft Gin ; across back from fin to fin; 9ft Gin; round girth, 3ft: width of mouth, 21in; teeth, 3in long.