334 CONTINUING THE CHASE. 



friend's directions in the rush and whirl of his sensations, 

 and would probably have missed the brute ; but just as 

 they closed up with him, his triangular black fin, which 

 he generally carries above the water,* suddenly dis- 

 appeared, and the boat swept over the spot where he had 

 been. Down below, some eight or ten feet, the monster 

 could be seen descending ; such a monster ! more than 

 double the size of the boat. Quickly and dexterously 

 the boat was brought round, and, lo and behold, the 

 shark rose once more to the surface, at a distance of 

 about one hundred yards. Onward dashed the hunters, 

 and by this time the harpooneer had regained his com- 

 posure, and was prepared to do his duty. Just as the 

 boat arrived within three feet of the large fish, the iron 

 went quivering into his flesh, and was soon buried over 

 five feet, right up to the socket. With a tremendous 

 plunge he disappeared. Whirr went the rope through the 

 notch ; and the harpooneer, seizing a hatchet, stood by, 

 prepared to cut it if necessary. The notch soon began to 

 smoke, but water was poured upon it from time to time. 

 The fish was struck in about fifty fathoms of water, and 

 went straight down to the bottom to roll himself for some 

 time. As soon as the rope had ceased to pay out, skipper, 

 harpooneer, and crew took off their caps and indulged in a 

 triumphant shout ; oars were laid in ; two men were 

 placed at the rope ; rations were served out, and all was 

 prepared for the struggle which would speedily begin, 

 and would last, perhaps, some seven or eight hours. 



In about twenty minutes they were moving to the 

 north-west at the rate of five knots an hour. The rope 

 was fast in the strong hands of a couple of men, who 



* Hence he is sometimes called the sail-fish. 



