228
THE SHARK.
its safety ; but during my sojourn in these islands, however, I never heard of such a casualty taking place. A few years ago, an immense shoal of grampus were driven ashore at Antigua during a season of stormy weather, and by the oil • ey yielded, became a valuable prize. But the greatest dread of the mariners in these seas is the shark—that rapacious and terrific monster whose very name conjures up a train of horrors. The usual length of the white shark is from 25 to 30 feet ; the body oblong, and tapering to the tail, which is of a semiannular form, and of great strength; the head is rather flat upon the top ; and the jaws, of horrific dimensions, are armed with numerous rows of flat, jagged, triangular teeth, (which it has the power of erecting at pleasure,) down to the very gullet.* The eyes of the shark are large and prominent ; and they appear to watch their hoped-for prey with the malign glance of an ogre ; while their vision is so acute, that they can distinguish objects at an immense distance, and will brave any danger to procure booty with which to fill their ravenous maw. A circumstance occurred some years ago which evidently proves that the optics of a shark are anything but defective. A young Creole one day escaped from the vigilance of her nurse, and, attracted by the numerous wild flowerets and gaudy butterflies she met with, rambled on, reckless of danger, until at length she approached the sea-side. Here she watched for awhile the waves as they dashed their snowy foam over the pointed rocks which lined that part of the beach, until, impelled by the beauty of the scene, and the heat of the weather, she threw off her simple tropic dress and wended her way into the smiling waters. Although not more than six years old, from being accustomed to bathing, she had learnt to swim with agility ; and gaily did she sport with the bounding billows, until her attention was arrested by a violent rushing of the waters, when, upon looking * Some naturalists are of opinion that a fresh row of teeth is added every year. I have counted five rows in a shark's mouth.