New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-05-08

lstill 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 Immediately returned,
and the maneuyer was repeated and with
success the seconed time.
The moment Captain Lewis got the
moose around his body. eight or ten per-
sons pulled away at the rope, and it was
hardly minute before it began to tight
en- around the sharks body, and. as it did
so, it slipped down to his tail; and when
he felt It getting uncomfortably tight he
paid no more attention to the bait, but,
turning slightly gave one flap with his
mighty tail that nearly took the whole OF
us overheard. Captain Lewis, with the
rapidity almost of thought, made a turn
of the rope about fastening. but so pow
erful was the fish. that he seemed to retard
! the movement of the ship, if not to drag
her backwards.
A large number Of men now got hold
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 the excite
ment and struggle.
| After the shark had time to expirc-for
he never stirred after being pulled out of
the Water-the sailors hitched a tackle to
him and swung him around to the side of
the ship, where he remained until nearly
noon time, when the sailors got permis-
sion to open him and take out the blubber,
which is charged with oil that is extreme
~ serviceable about ship. This was
found to contain several pailsful of oil.
After dinner, one Of the passengers, DR..
Hooker, signifed his desire to have the
jaws of the shark as memento of the
unusual scene. So the great creature was
drawn on deck and the rope taken off.
| Scarcely was this done, when, instead
of being dead, he was found to be so
thoroughly alive that he cleared the deck
OF men in two moments; for, as he COM
menced his contortions and twistings
about the deck, we all scampered to
places of safety.
His vitality struck Us with wonder and
alarm. He had hung on the outside Of
the ship, in the broiling sun, during
! more than half a day. He had been despoil-
ed of a portion of his vitalizing apparatus;
yet now, after we had supposed him dead
for hours, we found him able to keep the
whole ships crew at bay.
The men soon commenced hostilities.
but still for long time he was able to
maintain himself against the great odds.
He bent his body and with surprising
strength threw himself from side to side;
and, as be he did so, he opened his huge
jaws and barely missed from time to time
Selling our legs. He showed successive
rows Of sharp teeth, and by the aid Of his
cartilagenous tail, he turned forward and
backward and obliquely along the deck
and really seemed to be empowered witt
amillion lives.
For two full hours did the battle con-
tinue. At last a thrust through the heart
was the finishing touch. He gave one
spring, twisting his body powerfully. and
fastened his great jaws upon spare spar.
that was dashed at the side of the deck;
and, afterward, we found it hard to dis
engage his grip, and could only do so by
tearing out splinters from the spar.
We found he measured fifteen feet in
length.
The two doctors on board were ardent
psychologists, and they did not desire to
let such an opportunity slip to obtain an
increase of knowledge.
So they began their Investigations by
examining many parts Of the shark, and
they finally removed his heart.
The fact about to be recorded is prop
crly vouched for, and yet it seems almost
Incredible
Although the shark was dead and
emptied Of blood, yet his heart, when re-
moved from his body and resting on the
deck, kept up its contractions for period
of from twenty minutes to half an hour,
just the same as when in place, and per-
forming its Office Of pumping the blood
to the various parts Of the body.
This wonderful power seems to be in
harmony with the belief OF some scien-
lists, who say the heart possesses ner-
vous center and power over its own life,
seperate and distinct from the brain, for
the protection of life in times of accident.
Vide Aaoake.
L