A SHARK'S REVENGE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 126, 24 November 1926, Page 15

A SHARK'S REVENGE

TAHITI'S BOATSWAIN INJURED

A shark may be dangerous to deal with even when out of water. On Monday evening of last week, while the Tahiti was loading fruit at Barotonga, it was noticed that a native who had been fishing from his boat near the liner's side had hooked a large shark, which was putting up a good fight. After some time the native, by playing his c-.atch to the point of exhaustion, raised it to the surface. Boatswain William Banks then let down a twoinch rope, with a slip knot, which he looped over the head of the shark. The shark immediately dived, with the result that the knot slipped down to its tail and held it more securely than ever. There were many willing handson the other end of the rope and soon the struggling monster was hauled v\< to (he deck of the Tahiti.

The boatswain, being an old sailing ship man, claimed the tail as his prize, and when he stooped to cut. it off, he was suddenly struck a teirific blow or. the head, and the next moment he was prostrate on the deck with blood streaming from deep wounds on the top of his head and above the left eye. Dr. J. T. Henry, the ship's surgeon, way called, and it was found that Bank; had received a cut four inches long or. the top of his head, laying bare the skull, and another cut, also to the bone above the left eye, which was blacken cd. The wounds were too jagged ti stitch, but after they had been band aged and dressed the bleeding ceased. The shark, which weighed 2SC'.b, wa soon killed, and the edible portions oi the carcass were cut out and given ti the Karotongan who had hooked . ii A native catamaran, in which was an other native, was almost capsized i>_ the shark while it was fighting for it' liberty. The water all around was in festeil with sharks, and one can ca =ii imagine wh.it would-have been the f.-tt of the native if he had been tipped ou