CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4994, 5 April 1895, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

SHAEKB IN WELLIN&TON HAEBOUB,

[to the EDITOR.]

Sib.—There is a paragraph in the " Jottings from Wolliugtou' in last week's Wairarapu Weekly Times, in which the writer draws attention to " wanton little boys who will go bathing iu waters in which sharks have been seen close to tho shore," etc. Early in tho fifties, a whale was cut up and dried out in Oriental Bay, and for months after the place was a regular: reiort for sharks of all sizes, and although there were many places along the coast far less risky to bathers, nothing would satisfy them until they had a dip in the most dangerous part. Several very narrow escapes'took place, and when the bather happened to escape, he would turn round and remark how ho had fooled tho shark that time. Pipitea Point was another bad place for sharks, and I could relate several laughable incidents in connection with sharks and bathers there.

Tho remarks about a shark having been seen by a party in a boat is nothing now. When the iirat settlers removed from Petono to Wellington, a lot of boating had to bo done, and events of tho day's boating would never be comploto without some sort of an experience with a shark. I cannot quite understand the other sentence about tho great " necessity which eiists for erecting baths," etc., as the writer goes on to say " although I am told this is tho only case ou record of a shark attacking a bather in Wellington Harbour." There must be a few words missing to connect the abovo. But this brings me to what I have to say. Tho writer of "Jottings" has been misinformed on the subject, as tho following anecdote will show, and there arc several besides myself, in Masterton, who will remember the circumstance (mito well, and may even recollect seeing tho poor fellow taken I out of tho boat.

Briefly, about forty-five years ago, a party of men belonging to the 65th Kcgiment, were out in a boat a little beyond the end of the Queen's Wharf as now placed. Some of them were diving and swimming about arouud and about the boat. The last to take a turn was a man named Barmin, if I recollect rightly, a member of tho Band, It was his intention to take a dive, and theu swim towards a vessel a littlo distance off, the boat to lollow on. Scarcely had his head got above water when those in the boat saw a shark chasing bun. A piercing shreik was giyen by the occupants of the boat, (I heard it at the top of Hopper Street,) and in a few minutes several boats from the shore and vessels were all making for the same direction. When the first boat got to the spot, it was a very difficult matter to get bold of tho poor fellow, as the shark had a firm grip, and was pulling at him without being the least concerned, At last, however, the comrades managed to frighten the creature away, and drag tho remains of the man into the boat. It was a terrible sight, nearly all the flesh from his legs being completely torn away, All speed was made to Browu's Wharf, and from thenco to the Thorndon Hospital, where he was medically attended to. He was never conscious, however, and breathed his last two hours afterwards, Tho deceased was a beautiful Bute and piccolo player, and it was some time before his place was properly filled in the Band. Even this sad event had but little effect, as but a few evenings after, tho pastimo of bathing in dangerous places was still going on,—l am, etc,

Old Settler. Masterton, April 3rd, 1895.