in
case the cunning brutes would not take a bait. They were both of great
size--the largest being over twelve or thirteen feet in length. With the
smaller one were three pilot fish, one swimming directly under the end
of its nose, the others just over its eyes; the larger had but one
attendant, which kept continually changing its position, sometimes being
on one side, then on another, then disappearing for a few moments
underneath the monster's belly, or pressing itself so closely against
the creature's side that it appeared as if it was adhering to it. I had
never before seen these fish at such close quarters, and their
extraordinary activity and seeming attachment to their savage companions
was most astonishing to witness; occasionally when either of the sharks
would cease moving, they would take up a position within a few inches of
its jaws, remain there a few seconds, and then swim under its belly and
reappear at the tail, then slowly make their way along its back or sides
to the hideous head again. Sometimes, either singly or all together,
they would dart away on either side, but quickly returned, never being
absent more than a minute. These brief excursions showed them to be
extremely swift, yet when they returned to their huge companions they
instantly became--at least to all appearance--intensely sluggish and
languid in their movements, and swam in an undecided, indefinite sort of
manner as if thoroughly exhausted. But this was but in appearance, for
suddenly they would again shoot away along the surface of the water with
lightning-like rapidity, disappear from view of the keenest eye, and,
ere you could count five, again be beside the vessel swimming as
leisurely, if not as lazily, as if they were incapable of quickening
their speed.

Having his line ready again, the captain now began fishing from the
stern, and succeeded in catching three of the remaining four, the last
one (which our natives said was the fish which had swallowed the first
hook) refusing even to look at the tempting bit of iridescent
pearl-shell. Then the impatient mate lowered his bait over the stern,
having first passed the line outboard and given the end to three or four
of the crew, who stood in the waist ready to haul in. The smaller of the
two sharks was at once hooked, and when dragged up alongside amidships
struggled and lashed about so furiously that the big fellow came
lumbering up to see what was the matter, and Billy Rotumah, our