Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-28
The Titality of the shark

salllng ship MERCHANT" tor 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 90 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 a
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 were
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,
ana thus entangie him.
But Sir Shark kept away from the
rope. then proposed to puts piece Of
pork, big as my hand, on a common fish
line, and by little maneuvering of the
bait induce the fish to pass his head into
the moose. But he was very cautious aud
would not hear 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
inspected the bait, then returned and took
their places.
They had barely tine 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.
also watched with curious interest
wv piiOe Aoii, "blCi, having pc1lo1l ncH
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.
Every shark has onc, said the cap
tain, 6 andssometimes two; and when the
shark is without one he is shy and will
seldom approach very near ship"
These pilot fish seemed to be five or
six inches long, and yellowish- drown
color, having longitudinal dark stripes on
their sides and resembling much the
perch OF New England ponds. ltseemed
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 "bite' 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. de was however,
SO hungry that he Immediately returned,
and the maneuver was repeated and with
success the seconed time.
I 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
rapidly almost Of thought, made 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 tackle to
him and swung him around to the side Of
the ship, where he remained until nearly
noon-time, when the sailors got permits
sion to open him and take out the blubber,
which is charged with oil that is extreme
ly serviceable about a ship. This was
found to contain several pailsful of oil.
1 After dinner, one of the passengers, DR..
Hooker, signiied 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 day. He had been despoil-
ed of a portion of his vitalizing apparatus !;
vot now otter we had sunnOse0 him dead