" PLAYING YOUR FISH." 319 



nearly on its back before it can seize the floating dainty in 

 which the fatal hook is concealed. Even if it does not turn 

 completely round, it is forced to "slue" itself so far as to 

 show some portion of its white belly. And no sooner 

 does the white skin flash on the sight of the expectant 

 crew than a subdued cry of satisfaction may be heard, 

 like a distant ripple. No one speaks, however, for fear 

 of alarming the shark. 



Sometimes, just as the bait is flung over the stern, the 

 monster leaps at it with an eagerness which takes its 

 body partially out of the water. This, however, is rare. 

 On such occasions it gorges the bait, hook, and a foot or 

 two of the chain, without mastication and without hesita- 

 tion, and darts off with its treacherous prize with such 

 prodigious velocity and force, that it makes the rope crack 

 again as soon as the whole coil is drawn out. Generally 

 it sets to work more leisurely, and seems rather to suck 

 in the bait than to bite at it. Much dexterity is required 

 in the hand which holds the line at this moment ; for a 

 bungler is apt to be too precipitate, and to jerk away the 

 hook before it has got far enough down the shark's maw. 

 Our greedy friend, indeed, is never disposed to part with 

 aught which once has passed its formidable batteries of 

 teeth ; but the hook, by an abrupt twist of the line, may 

 fix itself in a part of the jaw so weak as to give way in 

 the violent struggle which always ensues. 



The secret of expert shark-fishing is, to let the voraci- 

 ous monster gulp down the huge mess of pork, and then 

 to give the rope a -violent pull; by which means the 

 barbed point, quitting the edge of the bait, buries itself 

 in the coats of the victim's throat or stomach. As the 

 shark does not submit patiently to such an operation, it 



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