aling; and from him I learned
that a few miles to the north there was an Arab dhow taking in a cargo,
supplied by one of the Portuguese dealers. Off I set as fast as my legs
could carry me. I had a little oil in a calabash, with which I knew I
could soon make myself white, so I had no fear of being shipped on board
as a slave. It was the evening before I came in sight of the dhow. She
lay in a little bay about a quarter of a mile from the shore. There
were no boats to be seen, and no means of communicating with her. I
judged that she had got her cargo on board, and was about to sail; but
it was perfectly calm, and she was waiting for a wind to get under way.
I was eager to be on board her: I wanted, at all events, to be away from
the blacks. I sat down and rubbed my skin over with the oil till I was
almost white. I did not think of sharks, or of the distance I had to
swim; but, hunting about, I found some pieces of light wood. These I
fastened on each side of me, and secured another piece under my breast;
and then in I plunged and struck out for the dhow. It was a long way to
swim, and I couldn't help fearing that before I reached her a breeze
would spring up. Now and then I saw the water ripple before me, and my
courage almost failed me. I can but die once, I thought to myself; but
still it seemed very hard to have to die just then.

"I had got almost up to the vessel when I saw another thing which might
well have made my heart sink: it was the black three-cornered fin of a
shark appearing just above the surface. I knew that it was now high
time to kick about, and sing out, and call to the people on board the
dhow to help me. They came, on hearing my cries, to the side of the
vessel, and they saw me and also my most unwelcome companion. They at
once did what was best: while some shouted and got sweeps out to stir up
the water, others lowered a boat. Anxiously I watched their
proceedings, kicking about, and shouting as loud as I could, while I
swam on as before. Still, there was the shark's fin not five fathoms
from me. I dreaded every instant to see it approach nearer. The Arab
boat got close up to me, the men seized me by the arms, and at the very
instant that the shark, thinking that he was about to lose his prey,
made a grab at my legs, I drew them up, and, as it was, I felt his mouth
touch my foot.

"The Arabs were very kind to me when I had put on my clothes, and told
them that I was an English