was changed to the wildest and most excited action. With vigorous strokes of his powerful tail he darted rapidly forwards. The little-pilot fish scampered off in every direction, and we followed as fast as we could the retreating form of the wounded, but still powerful creature. The umbrella-like appendage to the harpoon opening up offered a considerable obstacle to the shark's progress through the water, so that we were enabled to keep him well in sight. Our pack of pilot-fish, aware that their services were not required in the present state of matters, formed into a close phalanx and kept behind us. The pain of the harpoon or the obstruction caused by its drag soon caused the shark to relax the speed of his pace and enabled us to come to close quarters.
At once, he seemed to resolve no longer to fly from his tormentors, but, turning rapidly, he rushed boldly among us, his eyes glaring at us with a malignant expression of fishy ferocity. With much address, the hunters avoided his onslaught, and as he darted through their ranks, they dodged on one side, and several well-directed thrusts of their sharp spears added to the fury of the animal. As it passed the old huntsman, he dexterously planted his harpoon in the shark's flank, which doubled the obstacle to his passage through the water. Slowly turning, he again made for his enemies, who scattered to either side as before, all but the old huntsman, who rather threw himself in the direct line of the now slowly moving fish. He was slightly above the shark's level, and as the monster came beneath him, it suddenly turned round, belly upwards, opening its awful jaws, armed with a triple row of sharpest teeth. I was horror-struck, thinking it was all over
