-206 THE BLUE SHARK. 



In the foreground of the engraving is introduced the skull of a large Shark, for the 

 purpose of showing the terrible teeth with which it is armed, and which lie in several 

 rows, ready to take the place of those which are broken or cast off when their w r ork is 

 done. From these teeth, which cut like broken glass, the natives of many savage 

 lands make tools and weapons of war, by ingeniously fixing them into wooden handles. 



The voracity and dulness of nerve belonging to the Shark is really wonderful. One 

 of ~my friends was fishing after a large Shark that was following the vessel, and after a 

 little time, succeeded in inducing the fish to take the great hook that had been nicely 

 baited with pork to suit his palate. Too sudden a jerk, however, having been given 

 to the line, the hook tore its way through the side of the cheek, setting the Shark 

 free. The wound was a terrible one, and bled profusely, but the Shark seemed to care 

 little or nothing about it, still hovered about the bait, as if unable to resist its attractions, 

 and after a little while, was hooked a second time and hauled safely on board. 



The capture of a Shark is always an event on board ship, especially if she be a sailing 

 vessel and the wind has fallen. A hook made for the purpose, is secured to a fathom 

 or so of iron chain, the Shark being capable of biting through a rope in an instant, and 

 in no way so particular in its diet as to need fine tackle. Indeed, as in the last- 

 mentioned instance, the creature seems to be perfectly aware of the danger, but to be 

 incapable of resisting the tempting morsel. The other end of the chain is firmly lashed 

 to a stout rope, and the latter secured to the vessel, as one rush of a powerful Shark 

 would pull half a dozen men overboard. 



All things being ready, a good large piece of pork is fixed tightly on the hook, 

 and allowed to tow overboard. The Shark, being to the full as inquisitive as the cat, 

 comes up with true feline curiosity, and sniffs at the bait with an air of deliberate 

 scrutiny. Sometimes, it having perhaps lately partaken of a good meal, it is very 

 coy about taking the bait, and keeps the anxious anglers above in a state of tantalized 

 impatience for an hour or more. Generally, however, it dashes at the bait at once, 

 and has even been known to leap from the water and hook itself before the bait had 

 even reached the surface. 



Now begins a mighty struggle, and all is eager excitement. The Shark knows no 

 wiles, but uses all its great strength to tear away from the hook by sheer force, having 

 apparently but slight sense of pain, and in many cases would do so were not a check put 

 upon its efforts by a rope knotted into a bowline and dexterously slipped over its tail. 

 Being now held by both extremities, it is shorn of its strength like Samson without 

 his locks, and lifted on deck by both lines. Sometimes a trident-like harpoon, 

 technically called a "grains," the handle of which is heavily loaded with lead to make 

 it fall with greater force, is dropped upon the struggling fish. 



Being brought on deck, however, the struggles of the creature recommence with 

 tenfold violence. Twisting with marvellous agility, snapping right and left with its 

 murderous teeth, and dealing heavy blows with its terrible tail, it makes the deck 

 tremble under its strokes, until some experienced sailor runs in with an axe, and with 

 a blow across the tail, reduces the creature to malignant impotence. The muscles of the 

 Shark are endowed with astonishing irritability, and long after the body has been cut to 

 pieces and parts of it cooked and eaten, the flesh will quiver if pricked with a knife- 

 point ; the separated heart will beat steadily while lying on the bare boards, and the 

 jaws of the severed head will snap with frightful vehemence if any object be put between 

 the teeth. 



Sailors generally make high festival at the dismemberment of a Shark, and have 

 great delight in opening the creature for the purpose of finding out the articles which 

 it had swallowed. For a Shark, when following a vessel, will eat anything that falls 

 overboard. The contents of a lady's workbox, a cow's hide entire, knives, hats, boots, 

 md all kind of miscellanea have been found in the interior of a Shark ; while on one 

 occasion were discovered the papers of a slaver, which had been flung overboard when 

 the vessel was overhauled, and by means of which papers so strangely recovered, the 

 vessel was identified and condemned. 



The colour of this species is beautiful slate-blue above, and white below. 



