with fresh
hope and courage, he looked attentively at the brig, then at his
companion, and said "by heaven I'll do it, or we are lost!" "Do what?"
said his shipmate. "Though," said the first man, "it is no trifle to
do, after what we have seen and known; yet I will try, for if she
passes us, what can we do? I tell you Jack, I'll swim to her, if I get
safe to her, you are saved, if not, why I shall die without adding,
perhaps, murder to my crimes." "What! jump overboard, and leave me all
alone!" replied his companion, "look, look at that shark, which has
followed us all night, why it is only waiting for you to get into the
water to swallow you, as it did perhaps half of our messmates; no, no,
wait, do wait, perhaps another vessel may come, besides, I cannot swim
half the distance, and I should be afraid to remain behind, think,
Tom, only think of the sharks and of last night."

He jumped overboard with as much calmness as if he was bathing in
security. No sooner had he began to strike out in the direction he
intended, than his companion turned towards the sharks. The first had
disappeared, and it was evident they had heard the splash, and would
soon follow their prey. It is hard to say who suffered the most
anxiety. The one left in the boat cheered his companion, looked at the
brig, and kept waving his jacket, then turned to watch the sharks; his
horror may be imagined when he saw three of these terrific monsters
swim past the boat, exactly in the direction of his companion; he
splashed his jacket in the water to scare them away, but they seemed
quite aware of the impotency of the attack, and lazily pursued their
course. The man swam well and strongly. There was no doubt he would
pass within hail of the brig, provided the sharks did not interfere,
and he, knowing that they would not be long in following him, kept
kicking in the water and splashing as he swam. There is no fish more
cowardly, and yet more desperately savage than a shark. I have seen
one harpooned twice, with a hook in his jaws, and come again to a
fresh bait, yet will they suffer themselves to be scared by the
smallest noise, and hardly ever take their prey without it is quite
still. Generally speaking, any place surrounded by rocks where the
surf breaks, although there may be no passage for a ship, will be
secure from sharks. It was not until a great distance had been
accomplished, that the swimmer became apprized of his danger, and saw
by his side one