The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-04-25

THE VITALITY OF THE SHARK.
DURING the spring of the year 1859,
when the war was in progress, num-
Der of army officers left Boston in the
new sailing ship "Merchant'' for q
voyage to Ship Island.
Among the passengers were DIR.
Hooker, Lieuts. Prince and Emerson,
and the writer; and we all witnessed the
scene / am about to describe.
Early one morning, DR.. Hooker called
from the deck to us below that shark
was following the ship. We took this
to be q practical joke and did not move
from our state-rOOms.
But when we did 60 upon deck, about
six o'clock, we looked over the stern Of
the ship and there saw an enormous,
shovel-nosed shark following us, but
keeping his distance at about 200 feet.
Every person on board was called to
look ct the huge fish.
The old sea-captain said it was no
unusual incident to have shark follow
ship for an entire voyage. They SUBJ
sist largely on the waste matter thrown
overheard; and, as they are very fast
swimmers, can always keep up with q
vessel.
It was proposed by Capt. Lewis, one
of the Captains on board, to make an
effort to capture him.
We threw into the ocean pieces of
bread and other articles of food, and
were greatly interested to see him eat
them. The ship was searched but there
was not harpoOn to be found; there
was not even a shark hook. The pros
pect of capturing this great fish was not
very bright, until Capt. Lewis proposed
to make q moose and lower it down
into the water, and thus entangle him.
But Sir Shark kept away from the
rope. then proposed to put piece
of pork, big as my hand, on q COM
mon fish-line, and, by a little maneu-
vering of the bait, induce the fish to
pass his head into the moose. But he
was very cautious, and would not near
the ship when lowered the piece of
pork, until two little pilot fish, that
rode on his back, one on each side of
the great fin, came forward and inspect
ed the bait, then returned and took
their places.
They had barely time to finish this
: action when the shark swan under The
stern of the ship, and, opening his pom
derous jaws, attempted to take the bait.
But held it just above his nose, noting
he possessed no power to leap or jump
up as many fish do.
1 also watched with curious interest
the pilot fish, which, having per-
formed their Office, were now quietly
clinging beside the fin of his back.
While Capt. Lewis was preparing q
moose which was to be slipped over the
sharks head, asked about the pilot
fish.
LIVERY shark has one," said the
Captain, land sometimes two; and when
the shark Is without one he is shy and
will seldom approach very near a
ship"
These pilot fish seemed to be five or
six inches long, and of yellowish-
brown color, having longitudinal dark
stripes on their sides and resembling
much the perch of our New England
ponds. It seemed strange that 50 pow
erful fish should place SO much de-
pendence on such Insignificant crea-
lures.
The Captain again lowered his rope,
but the current Of water drew it aside,
and the attempt to entrap the fish was
again failure.
Then, some one suggested holding
the moose open by retaining the {" bight''
in hand, and when the shark put his
head over the rope in order to get at
the pork still dangling from the end Of
the little line, to let the moose drop and
pull away at the end till the large rope
frightened around his body. This was
tried, but the shark slipped out. He
was, however, SO hungry that he i'm.
mediately returned, and the maneuver
was repeated and with success the sec
ond time.
| The moment Capt. Lewis got the
moose around his body, eight or ten
persons pushed away at the rope, and
It was hardly minute before it began
to tighten around the sharks body.
and, as it did so, it slipped down to his
tail; and when he felt it getting uncom'
fortably tight he paid no more atten.
ton to the bait, but, turning slightly,
} gave one flap with his mighty tail that
nearly took the whole of us overheard
} Capt. Lewis, with the rapidity almost
of thought, made turn of the rope
. about fastening, but SO powerful was
!. the fish, that he seemed to retard the
; movement of the ship, if not to drag
! her backward.
Il A large number of men now got hold
J of the rope and succeeded in drawing
} him out of the water, and left him sus
pended under the stern.
We looked for the pilot-fish, but in
vain; they had disappeared during tn
, excitement and struggle.
After the shark had time to expire
for he never stirred after being pulled
out of the water-the sailors hitched ,
tackle to him and swung him arount
to the side of the ship, where he re
manned until nearly noon-time, whel
the sailors got permission to open hin
and take out the blubber, which il
charged with oil that is extremely serv
iceable about ship. This was found
to contain several pailfuls of oil.
After dinner, one of the passengers
DR.. Hooker, signified his desire to hav
the laws of the shark as q mement0 Q
the unusual scene. So the great crea
ture was drawn in on deck and the rop
taken of.
Scarcely was this done, when, in
stead of being dead, he was found to b.
so thoroughly alive that he cleare'
the deck of men in two moments; for
as he commenced his contortions an,
twistings about the deck, we all scam
. pered to places of safety.
His vitality struck us with wonde
and alarm. He had hung on the out
side of the ship, in the broiling sun
during more than half day. He hat
!. been despoiled of portion of his vital
izing apparatus; yet now, after we hae
supposed him dead for hours, we fount
him able to keep the whole ships crew
ct bay. .
The men soon commenced hostilities
but still for long time he was able te
maintain himself against the great
odds. He bent his body and with sur.
prisin9 strength threw himself from