Queer Man-Killers

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19899, 30 May 1936, Page 15 (Supplement)

Queer Man-Killers

Adventures Beneath Northern Seas.

(Ewen K. Patterson, EA CREATURES that are dangerous to human beings are not -all shark and octopus. Among the pearl and trochus-sheli divers of the far north of Queensland no creature is more feared than the long-tailed reef eel. To most people the name eel conjures up visions of slippery creatures about 3ft. in length that are desirable for the table. The eels feared by the divers of North Queensland have no food value for human beings. Instead they are man—eating eels in Australian waters. They attain a length of anything up to 12ft. or more. and their lureat bronzed bodies are sometimes an. in l-ircumierence. They live only in lropiral Hill] sub-tropical waters. and Queensland has the distinction of having supplied the largest specimen ever caught in the world (that is, as far as is known). This monster, which measured 12ft. “in. in length, was lauded by a fisherman at Maroochydore in February. 1929. after a great struggle. Few marine creatures are as ferocious as these reef eels. They Fear Nothing That Swims. Even the fiercest shark is helpless against their onslaughts. I once saw a light between a. 12“. tiger shark and a 10ft. reef eel. It was not a real fight; it was simply slaughter, because the eel. turning and diving with astonishing rapidity. literally ripped the shark to pieces. First one side, then the other, then below. and then above, the 991's teeth lore and slashed at the shark‘s body. The rel did not desist until a “school" of other sharks attracted by the commotion, appeared on the scene. Then the eel shot :lwny like (I streak. leaning the newcomers in concentrate on their dying fellow, which they ate. 'l'lle rl‘l‘t‘ l‘ei i~ :lllnlirclhly equipped with tel-111. lis inlig—pulnil‘li in“; are :lrmed with great l-llllil'ul. l'!ll|ll‘->]lill'li Pings, which 511 ml ill\\i|l‘tl, :1111l lllt‘ l'llllt iii the mouth is studded with tiny. ll(‘(‘ll|L‘7.\l|‘li‘|l teelll. :llsn shilling inwnrll. 'l'lllls. Ulll'l" :11l eel has seized its pl'vy thr \‘irtinl ill-\l'r t'sCJDt‘B. 'l‘llc culls mostly MW in raw-ms. in the sillt‘s nl’ I'Ul'l'll rr-l't's drop cluwn l)t‘l<)\\‘ llle sllrt'nl-l» llr llll‘ \\ull‘l: llllt. when sczirrlling for fund Illl‘) llnl'i :llmlll at u lt‘l'l'jlll' sperli. snail-hilly.- llt'l'l‘ :1111l lllt'i'l‘ lisllo-s. large and ~111.111. Killfillsll, l-mi. liltli'lxt‘l‘V'l—‘lllf‘y :lrlall ”11‘ .~.lllll' In ill" l'o-i. l‘i~ll ilnl im-ul» '4: hr .~\\:l|]ll\\l-ll in unl- :ui‘. .lrl' Snapped In Halves Wlli‘l One Bite, .lll.| in .lllutlllvr ilzw wall jar-reg Ul‘ u‘niy llt‘\l| .1111 l lmllv .ll'r' twill-ll 11-mll i‘ll- nil-,ll'ir'nllx “I"HIIl, \\'lll-ll fit'l'lxlilA llmli im- .ml l.ll't'l_\' ]l~~l'.~ :ln) l|l\l'l'. Il"ill'-' l~ a ~\\ili ill 11m \\.lill'. .tllll \\lln-ll llt.‘ ll «illllmlm- E~ r\-.-l- tin» lii\u':' l'.lll l'llllsull'r lll'll‘lll :ll'llillrli“ il' inl*l'slllllll'filli'l'lll'l' ill 1111~ I'lil~ t I‘lnil. '|‘;vl~ .lilnvL ni llll' lllull~-11-l' ix ‘ll \lll'tll‘ll .llill M. lll‘l'i'l‘ tirli lllt' «Ii\l" ills \4’i‘ llllv l!|.llll'l’ Hi lll'l'l‘llllln: ll lnw'll. .\nlllill-I- Hilll\ll.ll llllll’lxll vr n.” l:r \l \\.;iw:~ l\ I‘ll» ....111l l'l-111. \\l’lll'li ls :m- 2wvs: ll.\ .iw i|ll|:itl~l’ ‘nlltiVlll, .\lllll; 111 - I.:v.l: |l.l"l'.I-r il‘i'l lilo-w lllllllCillJ innllllmu.~ \.,, I.“ lll'l' Hw niunlllm rm'll'l-‘lll-ils. .llt till .I ivlui'l ui _|l|}illil‘3.' up In- -‘l't.\ 1111 l .ll'l'lbl'lliHL: I»:

in Melbourne Argus.) " stories told by northern (then an ' up to ”it. in length are to be tonal the deeper waters. The clam is a great shell hinged In ~ parts like the oyster. and on ldel 01- ~, size may he gained (tom the fact that E hall or a medium-sized clam shell to , large enough to provide a bath for I r-1 V indeed, many women in the Far North H _ the shells for this purpose, The ‘ wwor the shells, which are several than! ; thickness near the base. is astonishing: ,_ takes two men all their time to 1!!! o mw eralely sized clam. . k In spite of its great size the chm ' on the tiniest organisms in the water. N- -3 all day and night, with its shells wide on .; and with its great flabby body exposed. 5: leads by sucking in water which. I ~. everything of food value has been extract . a} is ejected. Often the water is ejected w A 4 great force, and along the coral reefs it ’ often seen shooting up some feet into the Like a Miniature Vii-tunnel». At the least sign at danger the clam clo , its shell with a swirl. This habit has can » ‘ the death of divers. native and other. Th 5, have placed a toot in a closing clam. . ; with the limb held as in a wee they he V been trapped until the “sill; tide puts ' ' eml to their struggles. It is impossible ' . prise open the shells of a clam. but it. is 9 simple matter to open the molluse with crowbar or a large knife. All that in neoe t afll‘." is to paralyse the great nerve-can " \\‘hich controls the shell muscle and tn shc-ll \\'ill gape. , tlhpmln (1001-: was the tlrst white man report the presence of clams in these wate and he ate clam meat and found it good‘ {until in his mm- of .\ugusl 18. 1770. no} “rule: "At 6 pm. the bout. returned from ”IV l'l‘l‘r \\'llll (llmltt ‘Z'AO 1h..01 shellfish; llv'lll: lllL’ lllcul 01 large rockies. exclusive; 01' the shells. Sumo of these cockles are as lair-(e as tug nlcn L‘JII more. and contain :tllllllt 2:: lb. wt‘ :nvnr. \cry good." V The llul‘lllC‘l‘ll mtium relish the meat. 11. a hunt. and l lmxt: met many lluropean {ishormttll Win. 5.1} that it is tasty and l' superior to Hil‘ mm: 01‘ ”I" trochus shell. \\lltt'll. til-led .lntl ~ln-ka‘rl. is exported t Ulmm fur suup umknw. l'vrhaps the mesh Hf tilt-an Kl‘t"ll c'lmls \\l” {M‘m the nuCleulk til' rm industry 'l‘llr‘rv thllld also be I l‘t-uoly \ttlt? {ut- ”iv >llv~ll~ l have known ltlll:‘.\:~ tn Ill\ t~ Ittllv'H .n 1'? (er a [181! :1: imp >l.~u_ 'l‘i... uml.’ W» . ~..l :w- l-nly menus. m v...»- nurlw-s. \\ tzlt- .-.n klll men. Imin t ivv \‘.l'|‘y\\ ..w, ~t llljmcn island. . llltli n .\ 1,? ;ll\ y-t';~l>l|I-t‘ tn i .mnus 5113“ “law. 4mm,“ nil" ..r 11..~ “mu lnrlntifu] nl' s‘wll‘ l‘ 3 l" l‘liill' ml ”11' only Snail Dangerous To Man. i u ..h: s . Ivtm'i-Ills t'l‘l'dllll‘f‘, armed “5- . .uv... \lndl'rlliu‘ ll‘t‘lt'l' \\llit‘lL when ' lv'w‘" .ll.‘ 21." ~k.ll. Ilim'!l.nl.:t-.s by pres< ‘- ‘IH-‘li “I“ "I ll'llNllt till“ the wound. ’ltw ‘ulnxnjl l'.t)l‘l'\ .\l-v-lu'tnllnx pain and‘ lvmlu-mr'} ]-.tl'.ll)~l~ ml the affected part. 111-tin ml} lull-.ul a