BASS FISHING. 



play, as if they panted; while, at the lightest 

 movement of your arm to hurl your spear, they 

 vanished in an instant, and left your weapon buried 

 innocently in the sand. On one (delightful clay, I 

 was tempted to wade deeper than usual into the 

 sea, which was beautifully clear. I passed along 

 the narrow ridge of a reef, which extended east- 

 wardly to a considerable distance from the main 

 bank, while a swash of some depth lay close within. 

 I had unconsciously remained, until the advancing 

 tide had covered the highest parts of the ridge full 

 waist-deep. Behind me stood my servant " Cain, 55 

 with my spear and a wicker-basket of bait. An 

 exclamation of terror from him made me turn, 

 when I beheld, but a few yards distant, between us 

 and the shore, and intercepting our retreat, a large 

 shark, close on the side of the ridge, head on for us, 

 and waving his tail backward and forward with a 

 deliberate sculling motion! "My spear, 55 said I; 

 "keep close to me, and shout when I do. 55 " Great 

 God, 55 said Cain (his eyes almost starting from their 

 sockets), ". another one ! 55 I looked, and saw, not 

 one. Tint tivo other sharks, lying behind the first, all 

 in a line, and in the same attitude ! Doubtless 

 the bait in the wicker-basket had attracted them ; 

 the advancing tide had carried them the scent, and 

 these grim pointers had paused to reconnoitre. 



