Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-07-16
CATCHING A SHARK.
Fishing by Electricity and Soda
Water Bottle.

| CATCa1NG a SHARh.
Fishing by Electricity and a soda
Water Bottle.
We are being flooded by bad nov
els this year. A glance at the cata
logue of the publishers apprises us
that, if wo except Charles Reade, We
have not great fiction writer left
Philosophers, staticlans, essayists
who put their theories and facts into
the shape of a novel, we have in
abundance, but man capable of tell
ing story, of appealing to the imag
ination, of piling incident upon Incl
dent to give an end, we have none
except Reade, who writes with q pur
pose. His episodes are all pcrfcc,
stories in themselves. The following
narrative of the killing of shark, by
electricity will illustrate our meaning
1t has little to do with the story Of
the 'Simpleton," but how admiringly
it makes one feel the sea and the
voyages, throws out the resources OF
a man of science, and yet absorbing
ly amuses ana interests.
A man in the mizzen-top noticed
an enormous shark gliding steadily
in the ships wake This may seem
a small incident, yet it ran through
the ship like wildfre, and caused
more or less measiness in three hun
dred stout hearts; so near is every
seaman to death, and so strong the
persuasion in their superstitious
minds that a shark does not follow a
ship pertinaciously without prophet
ic instinct of calamity.
Unfortunately, the quarter-mastel
conveyed this idea to Lord Tadcas
ter, and confirmed it by numerous
examples, to prove that there was al
ways death at hand when shark fol.
lowed the ship.
Thereupon Ta 1caster took it into
his head that he was under relapse
and the shark was waiting for his
dead body. He got quite low-spirit
ed.
Staines told Fitzroy. Fitzroy said
"Shark be hanged! I'll have him on
deck in half an hour" He got leave
from the captain. A hook was bait
ed with long piece of pork, and
towed astern by a strong line, exper
fenced old hands attending to it by
| turns.
The shark came up leisurely, sur
veyed the bait, and l apprehended.
ascertained the position of the hook
At all events, he turned quietly Oh
his back, sucked the meat off, and re
tired to enjoy it.
Every officer in the ship tried him
in turn, but without success; for il
they got ready for him, and the mo-
ment he took the bait jerked the rope
hard, in that case he opened his enor
nous mouth SO wide that the bait and
hook came out clear. But, sooner OF
later, he always got the bait and left
his captors the hook.
This went on for days, and his
huge dorsal fin always in the ships
wake.
Then Tadcaster, who had watched
these experiments with hope, lost
spirits and appetite.
Staines reasoned with him, but il
vain. Somebody was to die, and al
though there were three hundred anC
more in the ship, he must be the one
AT last he actually made his will ant
threw himself into StaineS' arms, an6
gave him a message to his mother
and Lady Ciccly, and ended by fright
ening himself into fit.
This reused Staines' pity, and also
put him OH his mettle. What, science
beaten by a shark?
He pondcred the matter over witt
all his might, and at last an ide;
came to him.
lie asked the captains permission
to try his hand. This was accorded
Immediately, and the ships stores
placed at his disposal very politely
and with a sly, comical grin.
DIR. Staines got from the carpenter
some sheets of zinc and spare copper
and some flannel. These he cut into
three-lnch squares. He then procured
a quantity OF beil-wire, the greater
part of which he insulated by wrap
ping it around with hot guttapercha
So eager was he that he did not turn
IN all night.
In the morning he prepared wha,
he called an electric fuse. He filled
a soda water bottle with gunpowder
attaching some cork to make it buoy
ant, put in the fuse and bung, mad.
it water tight, connected and insula
ted his main wires, enveloped tn.
bottle in pork, tied line to it, ant
let the bottle overheard.
The captain and officers shool
their heads mystcriously. The tar.
peeped and grinned from every rope
to see doctor try and catch a shark
with Il soda water bottle and nc
hook; but somehow the doctor seem
ed to know what he was about, sc
they hovered around, and awaited the
result, mystified yet curious, an6
showing their teeth from ear to ear
'The only thing l fear,' said
Staincs, sis that the moment he takes
the bait he will cut the wire before ]
can complete the circuit and fire the
fuse"
Nevertheless there was another oh
lection to the success of the expert
ment. The shark had disappeared.
"Well," SAID the captain, sat all
events, you have frightened him
away"
"No,' said the little Tadcastel
white as a ghost; she is under the
water, | know; waiting-waiting."
"Thcre he is" cried one in the rat
tlins.
There was a rush to the tatf'rail i
great excitement.
"Kcep clear of me-" said Staines
quietly and firmly. ''It can only be
done at the moment before he cuts
the wire"
The old shark swam.slowly around
the bait.
He saw it was something new.
He swan round and round it.
ale won't take it, said one.
'He suspects something"
| x.sl- al,