ired but a slight stretch of the
imagination to suppose that these well-meaning servants made a favorable
report, and whispered in his ear that "all was right," and thus
unwittingly betrayed him to his ruin.

Be that as it will, the shark now swam boldly towards the beef, as if
eager to devour it; but Mr. Thompson hauled upon the rope until the
precious viand was almost directly beneath the taffrail. In the mean
time the mate had caused a running bowline, or noose, to be prepared
from a small but strong rope. This was lowered over the stern into the
water, and by a little dexterous management, the shark was coaxed to
enter it in his eagerness to get at the beef. The mate let fall the
running part of the bowline and hauled upon the other, and to the utter
bewilderment of the hungry monster, he found himself entrapped in the
power of his mortal enemies being firmly and ingloriously fastened by
the tail. When he discovered the inhospitable deception of which he was
the victim he appeared angry, and made furious efforts to escape; but
the rope was strong, and his struggles served only to draw the noose
tighter.

The shark was hauled on board, and made a terrible flouncing on the
quarter-deck before he could be despatched. It was interesting to
witness the eagerness with which he was assailed by the sailors. This
animal is regarded as their most inveterate foe, and they seize with
avidity any chance to diminish the numbers of these monsters of the
deep. It was some time before he would succumb to the murderous attacks
of his enemies. He wreaked his vengeance on the ropes around him, and
severed them with his sharp teeth as completely and smoothly as if they
had been cut with a knife. But when his head was nearly cut off, and
his skull beat in by the cook's axe and handspikes, the shark, finding
further resistance impossible as well as useless, resigned himself to
his fate.

Sharks not unfrequently follow a vessel in moderate weather for several
days, and in tropical latitudes sometimes lurk under a ship's bottom,
watching a chance to gratify their appetites. For this reason it is
dangerous for a person to bathe in the sea during a calm, as they are by
no means choice in regard to their food, but will as readily make a meal
from the leg of a sailor as from the wing of a chicken.

Mr. Thompson related a case which occurred on board a vessel belonging
to Portsmouth, the year before, and to which he was a witness. One
Sunda