Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-09-27
An Intelligent Shark,

Several well-spun sea yarns have
been told by old shellbacks regard
ing what they had seen at sea- said
Chief Officer James Brown of the Pa
cific Mailcompany'sst eamerAcapulco
to a San Francisco Chronicle man,
but there is one thing certain, and
that is have reason 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 frequented
the port of San Jose, at Guatemala,
knows that old San Jose Joe has
been in and about that port for the
last thirty years. Joe is without ex-
ception one of the largest sharks
ever seen in the waters OF the ocean.
He is over 30 feet in length. This
was ascertained beyond a doubt by
the officers of the Acapulco on the
trip before the last, when a spar
measuring 30 feet had fallen over the
ships side, and old Joe came along,
and after smelling of it floated along
side, measuring exactly it's length.
AS to his age that is not positively
known, but the barnacles on his buck
indicate that he has been o
resident OF San Jose waters for o
number of years. The barnacles are
SO old and crusty as to repel a rifle
ball with thesame respective force as
sheet OF steel on the side of n man
otwar. Capt. Pitts of the Acapulco
has time and again shot at this
monster and without effect, so far
as his back is concerned. The balls
glance off the old fellows back with
out doing him any damage. Yet
Old Joe carries enough lead in his
carcass to sink an ordinary whale,
as almost every officer whose vessel
anchors in the waters takes a whack
at him when he runs his sides and
belly upward, but the bullets don't
seem to do him any harm"
citv?"
"Oh, yes. Some years ago an En-
gllsh man-of war, while lying at an
cthor, undertook to destroy the old
brute by firing a charge of dynamite
INTO him. Joe was hit on the side, and
about fifty pounds of sharks flesh
torn away, but the shot failed to
kill him. But now, mark YOU, since
that time he will not make his aD-
pearance in the anchor near where |
Il man-of-war is anchored. But |
Just as soon as these vessels
leave Joe comes to thesurface again.
lie regularly meets the Acapulco
about fifteen miles outsidea 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 Joes reasoning
qualities tell his to leaveit alone, and
he invariably follows that line of
reasoning. As to his capacity to
stow away grub, that was proved on
one occasion when the vessel was
taking aboard some hogs. One of
EN- hogs, weighing probably about
Eighty pounds, fell overheard, and
Did Joe, who is ever on the watch,
Jaw the prize and with one
plunge and pair of cx-
ended jaws, the porker disappeared
rs though he had gone into hole.
IN another occasion we had a lot OF
mules on board for the government
md one of the number died and was
brown overheard. Joe made the
acquaintance of the defunct mule,
md after the lapse of six hours the
mule was safely slowed thwart ships
n Joe's locker. Yes, Joe is the larg-
st shark known to us seataring men. {
va have tried to kill the monster
~ all possible means, butso far have
1iserably failed"