268 THE SHARK. 



such a dread of sharks as to worship some of 

 them as gods ; not from any respect or love to- 

 wards them, but from fear, Ellis states, that, 

 " although they would not only kill, but eat cer- 

 tain kinds of shark, the large blue sharks {Squalus 

 glauciis) were deified by them ; and, rather than 

 attempt to destroy them, they would endeavour 

 to propitiate their favour by prayers and offer- 

 ings. Temples were erected, in which priests 

 oliiciated, and offerings were presented to the 

 deified monsters ; while fishermen, and others 

 who were much at sea, sought their favour. 

 Many ludicrous legends were formerly in circu- 

 lation among the people, relative to the regard 

 paid by the sharks at sea to priests of their tem- 

 ples, whom they were always said to recognize, 

 and never to injure. The principal motive, 

 however, by which the people appear to have 

 been influenced in their homage of these crea- 

 tures, was the same that operated on their minds 

 in reference to other acts of idolatry : it was the 

 principle of fear, and a desire to avoid destruc- 

 tion in the event of being exposed to their anger 

 at sea."* 



''' In one of the fabulous legends of the natives of the 

 Island of Tahiti, their island is represented "as having been 

 a shark, originally from Raitea. Matarafau, in the east, was 

 the head ; and a place near Faaa, on the west, was the tail ; 



