358 APPENDIX. 



her blushing rays on this completion to the work of this 

 glorious day. 



A great deal has been said about the sharks that are 

 sometimes seen in the Mediterranean, and many persons 

 still believe that they are voracious, like the Atlantic 

 shark. I vi^ould not of course tempt one willingly, nor 

 expose myself unnecessarily if I knew a place abounded 

 with them ; but I have, like yourself and most others, 

 been always in the habit of luxuriating in fresh sea- 

 water during the summer season in the Mediterranean, 

 and I never but once met with any adventure, when, 

 whether by accident, or whether according to the natural 

 disposition of the beast, I will not pretend to give an 

 opinion, I was brought into very close contact with one, 

 and escaped, not only untouched, but without any at- 

 tempt having been made by him to attack me. I was 

 at anchor in my cutter, in a lonely bay, within four 

 miles of Cassopo (where that atrocious act of murder 

 and piracy was committed in June, 1840, the two 

 unfortunate victims of which you may recollect were 

 brought to Corfu in a boat, which we fell in with in 

 Corfu channel),* when just stepping on deck after my 

 usual morning's swim, the master pointed out to me a 

 shark, which was amusing himself by swimming round 

 the cutter. Whether he was looking for me or not I 

 will not pretend to say, but there could be no doubt of 

 his being a genuine shark, and that I had, most uncon- 

 sciously, been in much more close contact with him than 

 I should at any time consider agreeable. Shortly after 



* See the full account of this supra, p. 49. 



