New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-05-08
The Vitality Of the Shark.

During the spring of the year 1862,
when the war was in progress, mum Der
of army officers left Boston in the new
sailing ship "Merchant' for voyage to
Ship Island.
Among the passengers were DR.. Hook
er, Lieutenants 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 practical joke and did not move
from our state rooms.
But when we did go on 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 about two hundred
feet. Every person on board was called
to look at the huge fish.
The old sea captain said it was no un-
usual incident to have shark follow
ship for an entire voyage. They subsist
largely on the waste matter thrown over
board and, as they are very fast swim
mers, can always keep up with vessel.
1t was proposed by Captain 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 we're
greatly interested to see him eat them.
The ship was searched but there was not
a harpoon to be found; there was not
even shark hook. Theprospect of cap
turing this great fish was not very bright
until Captain Lewis proposed to make a
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 a common fish
line, and by little maneuvering Of the
bait induce the fish to pass HE head into
the moose. But he was very cautious aud
would not near the ship when l 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
inspected 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 I held it just above his nose, noting
he possessed no power to leap or jump up
as many fish do.
/ also watched with curious interest
the pilot fish, which, having performed
their Office, were now quietly clinging be-
side the fin Of his back.
While Captain Lewis was preparing a
moose which was to be slipped over the
sharks head, / asked about the pilot
fish
6 Every shark has one,n said the cap
cain, /" and 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 a yellowish- brown
color, having longitud inal dark stripes on
their sides and resembling much the
perch Of New England ponds. Itseemed
strange that so powerful fish should
place so much dependence on such insig
nifcant creatures.
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 abite" in
hand, and when the shark put his head
over the rope in order to get at the pork