Big Game at Sea 



He was terrified at the strange sights, which, as the 

 darkness deepened, flashed and scintillated in every 

 direction; now as starlike objects, again as comets 

 pulsating on through the water with a fiery train; 

 and as large fishes surged by, the entire mass of 

 water blazed with such a golden radiance that the 

 young man-eater fell back against the coral of his 

 den trembling and quivering with fear. 



The very bottom of the sea was paved with won- 

 ders. Small animals bored their way upward through 

 the sand emitting a spark of light, which grew and 

 expanded, out of which darted a firebody which 

 made its undulating way to the surface. There were 

 strange noises crashing, tumbling concussions now 

 and then, which shook the ledge, and ever and anon 

 the water about him moved and the delicate fire- 

 like jelly fishes seemed to sway to one side. It was 

 a night of terror to the young shark, thrust into the 

 world defenseless and half made up. 



All night he lay quietly, now and again prodded 

 by the serrated spine of an inquisitive crawfish, while 

 once a sprawling many-armed octopus crossed over 

 him a nerve-racking sensation as this infant man- 

 eater had nerves, and realized it until he was six feet 

 in length, when they gradually became obliterated. 

 In time the light of day came and he observed that 

 the water over him was much lower than it had 

 been ; it had dropped away, as it were, and then see- 

 ing that he was partly covered by sand, he fell asleep 



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