Heading across the bay to St. Simon’s light, the man in charge of the wheel hailed Mr. Tift and directed his attention to something ahead of us. The object turned out to be a shark’s fin, so large as to be a matter of wonder to the sailors aboard. The boat happened to be provided with a shark line-a manila cord about a half inch thick, with a large hook tied to a trace-chain. A small piece of beef was quickly put on the hook, a float put on the line and then cast out and then the line made fast to the capstan. As we neared the fish the fin disappeared and all eagerly watched the float. Suddenly the line tightened, the float disappeared and the man at the capstan yelled out; “He’s hooked!”
    I have been fishing, but I never saw the like of that. The fellow rose to the surface of the wave and looked at us. He had about seventy-five yards of line out by this time, and actually in a second he made a rush and jumped clear over the bow of the steamer. The ladies then got under shelter and all hands helped to hold that line. The fellow, when he failed to eat us up, made for the ocean and fairly made the waters foam. After about an hour’s run he began to tire, and the boat was headed for a beach on Jekel Island. Gradually we pulled in the line until the boat touched the beach, and then one of the hands waded ashore, taking the end of the line with him, which he made fast to a stump and came back for help.
    Four of us got on shore and commenced to pull Mr. Shark in. It took all we could do, and two rifle balls to boot, to land him. When I tell you that he measured 17 feet 10 1/2 inches from tip to tip you will know what a job we had. We determined to prove that we caught this shark, so we gave two negroes $4 to cut him open and get his head off, so that we could get his jaw over home. His teeth are wonderful, being about 3 1/4 inches long, and so strong that he actually flattened out the bid iron hook. The negroes made quite a prize. In his stomach they found 11 silver Mexican dollars and one Spanish doubloon, gold, and a whole lot of brass buttons.-Cor. Albany [Ga.] News.
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