Homer guardian. (Homer, La.) 1888-1890, 1889-03-15

A Sharks Instinct.


backs rega .eing what they have
seen at sea-" SAID Chief Officer
James brown IF the Pacific Mai!
Company's steamer Acapulco, but
there is one thing certain contin,
ued he, "and that is, / have rea-
son to believe, that fish not only
have instinct, but also reasoning
power"
"How do You come to these con-
clusions?' was asked.
Well, let me tell you. Now,
every seafaring man who has ilc
quented the port of San Jose, at
Gautemala, knows that old San
Jose Joe has been in and about
that port for the last thirty years.
Joe is without exception one of
the largest SHARKS ever seen IN the
waters Of the ocean. He is over
thirty feet in length. This was
ascertained beyond doubt by the
officers of the Acapulco on the
trip before the last, when q spar
measuring thirty feet bad fallen
over the ships sides, and old Joe
came along and after smelling OF
it foated alongside, measuring ex-
actly its length. As to his age
that is not positively known, but
The barnacles on his back midi
cate that he has been a resident of
San Jose waters for q number Of
years. The barnacles are so old
and crusty as to repel rife bail
with the same resistive force as
sheet of steel on the side Of a man.
of-war Captain Pitts Of the AGA
pu,co has time and again shot at
this monster and without effect, 50
far as his back is concerned. The
4,
balls glanced off the old fellows
back without doing any damage.
Yet old Joe carries sufficient lead
in his carcass to sink an orlina
~ whale, as almost every officer
whose vessel anchors in those va
tiers takes q whack at him when
he turns his sides and belly up
wards, but the bullets don't seem
TO do him any HARM
well, about his reasoning ca:
paclty?'
20, yes. Some years ago an
English man-of- war, while lying
at anchor, undertook to destroy
the old brute by firing q charge of
dynamite into him. Joe was hit
on the side and about fifty pounds
Of shark flesh torn away, but the
shot failed to kill him. But now,
mark you, since that time he will
not make his appearance in the
anchorage near where a man-of
war is anchored. But just as soon
rs these vessels leave Joe comes
to the surface again. He regular
ly meets the Acapulco about .ff
teen miles outside and pilots her
in. Once anchored he is satisfied,
and seems to delight in feeding
from the offal. But no matter how
well you bait hook Joe's reason
ing qualities tell him to leave it
alone, and he invariably follows
that line OF reasoning. AS to his
capacity to stow away grub, that
was proven on one occasion when
the vessel was taking aboard some
hogs. One of ten hogs weighing
probably abouteighty pounds, fell
overheard, and old Joe, who is
ever on the watch, saw the prize
and with one plunge and par Of
extended jaws the porker disap
peared as though it had gone into
hole. On another occasion we
had q lot Of mules on board fol
the government and one of the
number died and was thrown over
board. Joe made the acguain
lance of the defunct mule, and at
ter the lapse Of six hours the mule
was safely slowed thwart ships il
Joe's locker. Yes, Joe is the Tar
gest shark known to us seafarins
men. W. have all tried to kill
the monster, but SO far have tail
ed.' San Fraucisco Chronicle.
Wife-"John, / do wish 20,
would write to Edison and get /.
o few Of those electric light plants