ometimes leaping about and rubbing
against their victims. This was of short duration, a loud shriek from
one of the men announced his sudden pain; a shark had seized him by
the leg, and severed it entirely from the body. No sooner had the
blood been tasted than the long dreaded attack took place; another and
another shriek proclaimed a loss of limbs; some were torn from the
boat to which they vainly endeavored to cling; some, it was supposed,
sunk from fear alone; all were in dreadful peril. Mr. Smith, even now,
when of all horrible deaths the most horrible seemed to await him,
gave his orders with clearness and coolness; and to the everlasting
honor of the poor departed crew be it known, they were obeyed; again
the boat was righted, and again two men were in her. Incredible as it
may appear, still, however, it is true, that the voice of the officer
was heard amidst the danger; and the survivors, actually as before,
clung to the gun-wale, and kept the boat upright. Mr. Smith himself
held to the stern, and cheered and applauded his men. The sharks had
tasted the blood, and were not to be driven from their feast; in one
short moment, when Mr. Smith ceased splashing as he looked into the
boat to watch the progress, a shark seized both legs, and bit them off
just above the knees. Human nature was not strong enough to bear the
immense pain without a groan; but Mr. Smith endeavored to conceal the
misfortune, nature, true to herself, resisted the endeavor, and the
groan was deep and audible. The crew had long respected their gallant
commander; they knew his worth and his courage:--on hearing him
express his pain, and seeing him relinquish his hold to sink, two of
the men grasped their dying officer, and placed him in the stern
sheets. Even now in almost insupportable agony, that gallant fellow
forgot his own sufferings, and thought only on rescuing the remaining
few from the untimely grave which awaited them; he told them again of
their only hope, deplored their perilous state, and concluded with
these words; "if any of you survive this fatal night, and return to
Jamaica, tell the admiral (Sir Lawrence Halstead) that I was in search
of the pirate when this lamentable occurrence took place, tell him I
hope I have always done my duty, and that I--" Here the endeavor of
some of the men to get into the boat gave her a heel on one side; the
men who were supporting poor Smith relinquished him for a moment, and
he rolled overboard and