It proved to be a shark.

But the fellow disdained to be captured by such ignoble instruments as a cod line and a halibut hook.

He remained comparatively passive for a time, and allowed himself to be hauled, by the united efforts of the crew, some three or four fathoms towards the brig, when, annoyed by the restraint imposed upon him, or disliking the wild and motley appearance of the ship's company, he took a broad sheer to starboard, the hook snapped like a pipestem, and the hated monster swam off in another direction, wagging his tail in the happy consciousness that he was "free, untrammelled, and disinthralled." "Never mind," said Mr.Thompson, making an effort to console himself for the disappointment, "we'll have the rascal yet." The shark manifested no disposition to leave our neighborhood, or in any other way showed displeasure at the trick we had played him.

On the contrary, he drew nearer the vessel, and moved indolently and defiantly about, with his dorsal fin and a portion of his tail above the water.
He was undoubtedly hungry as well as proud, and it is well known that sharks are not particular with regard to the quality of their food.
Every thing that is edible, and much which is indigestible, is greedily seized and devoured by these voracious fish.
We had no shark hook on board; nevertheless, the mate lost no time in making arrangements to capture this enemy of sailors.

He fastened a piece of beef to the end of a rope and threw it overboard, letting it drag astern.