ENEMIES ASHORE AND AFLOAT. 17 



intruder. I had not discontinued my baths; but I 

 always took a big stick into tlie water with me, and 

 swam very near the surf. 



At last the other shark came in, but fortunately I 

 saw her before she reached me. She shied off to 

 deep water as I ran for my gun, returning later and 

 sweeping up near the fish bait. I gave her a shot in 

 the back, which only infuriated her ; but another in a 

 vital part quieted her forever. So I killed my ene- 

 mies — that is, the first ones — and I found this shark 

 to be nearly nine feet in length — six inches shorter 

 than her mate. 



My peaceful life had now been invaded by real 

 terrors; at the end of my beach grew the odious 

 manchineels ; in front of it swam the man-eaters. 

 Only the day before I had found an immense centi- 

 pede in my hammock, which had dropped from the 

 thatch while I was absent ; but it might as easily 

 have fallen on my face while I lay asleep ! So, alto- 

 gether, I was restless and not so satisfied with my lot 

 as I might have been. I resolved to leave the sea- 

 side and explore the great forest, where, perchance, I 

 might find a retreat less liable to invasion. 



