The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-11-22

Il was In the month Of May, 1898, that
the ship that bore the celebrated French
zologist, NJ. Godfrey, was lying becalmed
between Cape Bonand aud the Island Of
Malta, when the ennui Of the passengers
was dissipated by the approach Of
shark. He was preceded by two pilot
fishes, that directed their course towards
the ships stern, which they inspected
twice, swimming from one end to the
other. Not finding anything, they for
time departed. The shark, it is asserted,
never lost sight of the pilots, and he
seems to have followed them as If he had
been an iron shark, and they had been
magnets. The sailors threw over large
hook baited with pork The three, OBJ
serving the splash Of the bnit, stopped.
The two pilots advanced as if to examine
the cause. While they were gone, the
SHARK vas SeeFr f.~tH,1s> ct es-. .'-.
of the level sea, now diving, now reap
pcaring in the same place. When the
pilots discovered the pork, they swan
swiftly back to the shark, took the lead,
aud all three made towards the ship.
The shark did not seem to discover the
bait till it was pointed out to him by the
pilots, when he made a rush at 1t, and
was hooked and hOisted on board. Here
the pilots seemed to have led their friend
to his death.
The next witness, a captain Of the
royal R0Hf> - "a -. .l>-~sIsS credit for
greater sagacity. Captain Richards,
while on the Mediterranean station, sAw
following the ship q shark, attracted
probably by . corpse, which had been
committed to the deep. The day was
fine. A sharp hook, baited with pork,
was thrown out. The shark attended by
four pilot fishes, repeatedly approached
the bait. Whenever he did so, one Of
the pilots was distinctly seen from the
taffrail, to run his snout against the
sharks head, as If to turn it away. At
ter same further play, the shark swan
I off in the wake of the vessel, his dorSal
I'm being long visible above the water.
When, however, he had gone consider
able distance, he made sudden turn,
darted after the ship, and before the pi-
lots uld ovcrtake him, snapped at the
bait and was fast. On hosting him up,
one of the pilots was observed clinging
to his side until he was out of water;
then he fell off. All the pilot fishes then
swan about awhile, as If in search Of
their friend, with every appearance Of
anxiety and distress; they then started
suddenly down into the depths of the
Sea.
Mr.. Maycn deposes that he saw no less
than three instances in which the shark
was led by the pilot fish. When the
former neared the ship the pilot swan
close to his snout or near his pectoral
fins. Sometimes the pilot fish dartcd
rapidly forward and sideways, as if look
ing for something, and constantly went
back to the shark. When the latter was
within twenty PAGES Of the ship, a piece
Of bacon fastened to n great hook was
thrown overheard. Quick as lightning
the pilot fish darted up, Smclt the bait,
and instantly went back again to the
shark, swimming many times round his
snout, and spIashing as if 10 give him ex-
act information as to the bacon. The
shark then put himself in motion, the pi-
lot showing him the way, and in a mo-
ment was fast to the hook.