The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-20
The Vitality of the Shark.

AMONG the passengers were DR.. Hook.
er, Lieutenant 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 upon deck, about
six O'Clock, iEe looked over the stern of
the ship and there saw an enormous,
shovcl-nosed shark following us, but
keeping his distance about two hundred
feet. Every person OH board was called
to look at the huge fish.
The old sea captain said it was no un-
usal incident to have shark follow q
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 ef-
fort 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 shark hook. The pros
pect of capturing this great fish was not
very bright, until Captain Lewis pro-
posed to make moose and lower it down
into the water, aud thus entaugle him.
But Sir Shark kept away from the rope.
I then proposed to put piece of pork
big as my hand, on 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 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
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 beld 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 isb,which, having performed
their Office, were now quietly clinging
beside the fin of his back.
While Captain Lewis was preparing q
moose which was to be slipped over the
sharks head, I asked about the pilot fish.
"Every shark has one," said the cap.
tain, "and sometimes 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 OF
six inches long, and of a yellowish.
brown color, having longitudinal dark
strips on their sides and resembling much
the perch of New England ponds. II
seemed strang that so powerful fish
should place so much dependence on such
Insignificant 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 aud 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 maneuver was repeated, and with
success, the second time.
The moment Captain Lewis got the
moose around bis body, eight or ten per.
sons pushed 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 uncomfortsbly 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 turn
of the rope about fastening, but 80
powerful was the fish that he seemed to
retard the movement of the ship, il
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.
After the shark had time to expire
for he never stirred after being pulled
ont of the water-the sailors hitched q
tackle to him and swung him around to
the side of the ship, where he remained
until nearly noon-time, when the sailors
got permission to open him and take out
the blubber, which is charged with oil
that is extremely serviceable about a
/ .b,r IT,, Torrl to to.
pailsful of oil.
After dinner, one of the passengers,
| DR.. Hooker, signifed his desire to have
the jaws of the shark as o memento OF
tue. unusual scene. So the great crea-
ture was drawn on deck and the rope
taken of.
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 twisting
about the deck, we all scampered 10
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 de-
spoiled of a portion of his vitalizing ap-
paratus 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 great odds.
He bent his body and with surprising
strength threw himself from side to side
and, as he did so, he opened his huge
jaws and barely missed from time to time,
seizing 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 empowered with
million lives.
For two full hours did the battle con-
tinue. At last thrust through the heart
was the finishing touch. He gave one
| spring, twisting his body powerfully, and