How Samoan Catechist Killed Man-eating Shark in Eastern Papua

NATIVES of the Dobu Passage, in Eastern Papua, usually display no fear of sharks, and will continue their fishing and diving with little concern, except when sharks are actually to be seen near at hand.

During many months, however, native diving for fish and shell was almost entirely discontinued as a result of the presence of a man-eating shark.

The shark’s first victim was a lad. He was diving from a dinghy for shell, and his arm was torn off. For some time, after this, a shark was noticed patrolling

close inshore for days at a time.

Native vigilance gradually relaxed until another youth was attacked, within call of his own village on Dobu. The flesh was stripped from his leg, from the knee to the ankle, leaving the foot hanging, attached to the shin bone. He died shortly after reaching hospital.

The shark was frequently seen after this, patrolling various portions of the shore line of the Passage. Native fishing and diving ceased, and even the children stopped playing and bathing in the shallows, as they love to do.

A third victim was taken from near Bwatowaia, on Fergusson Island; in this case, the arm being stripped of flesh.

Lives might have been saved if the natives had understood the importance of ligatures, but the two who reached the Mission Hospital, in the Passage, had lost so much blood that it was impossible to save them. The advice given to the natives had some result, however. A man, badly torn by a wild pig, had two ligatures on one leg, and three on the

other, in accordance with the number of wounds on each limb, so his friends explained! He, at least, made a good recovery.

After many attempts, the shark was at last caught on an ordinary 10-lb. fish line, such as is used from a launch for king-fish.

The Samoan Catechist at Dobu, Filemoni, set the line, attached to a pole, which he worked down in the sand and twisted about till it was loose in a hole four feet deep and a foot in diameter at the top. This method evidently gave the line sufficient play to withstand the rushes of the fish.

Some three hours after the hook had been baited with a freshly caught "goanna,” the shark was discovered, wellhooked and already somewhat exhausted.

It was drawn to the shallow water and shot.

It measured 8ft. 6in. in length, and the natives firmly believe that it was responsible for all the deaths. Instead of being eaten, it was chopped in small pieces and thrown into a chasm.

They resumed their fishing, and there

have been no further attacks.—J.R.A.

Filemoni, the Samoan Missionary, with the man-eater which he caught at Dobu Passage.