66 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Valour of a seaman, 



tore off his leg. This dreadful accident our 

 readers will find is the subject of the annexed 

 engraving. 



In the pearl-fisheries of South America, every 

 negro, to defend himself against these animals, 

 carries with him into the water, a sharp knife; 

 which, if the fish offer to assault him, he endea- 

 vours to strike into its belly ; on which it gene- 

 rally swims off. The officers who are in the 

 vessels keep a watchful eye on these voracious 

 creatures; and, when they observe them ap- 

 proach, shake the ropes fastened to the negroes 

 to put them on their guard. Many, when the 

 divers have been in danger, have thrown them- 

 selves into the water, with knives in their hands, 

 and hastened to their defence : but too often all 

 their dexterity and precaution have been of no 

 avail. 



In the reign of Queen Anne, as recorded by 

 Hughes, a merchant ship arrived at Barbadoes 

 from England, some of the men of which were 

 one day bathing in the sea, when a large shark 

 appeared, and sprung forwards directly at them. 

 A person from the ship called out to warn them 

 of their danger; on which they all immediately 

 swam to the vessel, and arrived in perfect safety, 

 except one poor fellow who was cut in two by 

 the shark almost within reach of the oars. A 

 comrade and intimate friend of the unfortunate 

 victim, when he observed the severed trunk of his 

 companion, was seized with a degree of horror 



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