re fully aware of the presence of an intruder,
they exhibited the most extraordinary excitement, rushing together in
groups, with such rapid motion, that the water became so agitated, I was
obliged to exercise all my skill to keep the boat steady on her course.

They dived, and rushed to and fro, and jostled each other, as I thought,
in anything but an amicable spirit; still, however, keeping at a
respectful distance from the boat, for which I was extremely thankful.
I urged her on with all my strength, for the purpose of getting away
from such unpleasant neighbours; but they were not to be so easily
disposed of. They came swimming after the boat, then when within a few
yards dived, and in a moment they were before it, as if to bar any
further progress.

I however pushed on, and they disappeared, but immediately afterwards
rose on all sides of me. They were evidently getting more confidence; a
fact I ascertained with no slight apprehension, for they began to
approach nearer, and their gambols threatened every minute to overwhelm
my poor craft, that, light as a cork, bounced up and down the agitated
waves, as if quite as much alarmed for our safety as ourselves.

The captain was not the only one who began to fear evil; the gannets
were very restless, and it was only by strong admonitions I could
prevail on Nero to retain his recumbent attitude at my feet; their
instinct warned them of approaching danger, and I felt the comfortable
assurance that my own rashness had brought me into my present critical
position, and that if the menaced destruction did arrive, there was no
sort of assistance at hand on which I could rely.

Every moment the sharks became more violent in their demonstrations, and
more bold in their approaches, and I could scarcely keep the boat going,
or prevent the water rushing over her sides. The gannets having shown
themselves for some minutes uneasy, had at last flown away to the
neighbouring rock, and Nero began to growl and snap, as though
meditating a forcible release from his prostrate position, to see what
mischief was brewing.

As I was coaxing him to be quiet, I felt a tremendous blow given to the
boat, evidently from beneath, and she rose into the air several yards,
scattering Nero and myself, and the oars, in different directions.

The noise we made in falling, appeared for the instant to have scattered
the creatures, for I had struck out for the rock and nearly reached it
before a shar