THE SHARK. Iiy 



The fliark thus fitted bj his external conformation for 

 rapin and bloodlhed, is endowed alfo by nature with a 

 courage and adtivity that gives effeft to his rapacious in- 

 ftincls. No fifli, it is faid, can fwim as faft as he; none is 

 fo conftantly employed in fvvimming j fcarcely a flii[> 

 croffes the Atlantic^ that is not attended \iy ibme of thefe 

 rapacious monfters, for days together ; and fuch is their 

 Telocity, that they outftrip the beft failing velTel, and 

 play around her without any fymptoms of exertion. 

 With fuch voracious appetites, and fuch powers of grati- 

 fying them, one would imagine that thefe animals might 

 have long fince deftroyed the inferior tribes, and thinned 

 even the ocean itfeh of its inhabitants ; but happily for 

 the fafety of the I'maller fillies, thefe plunderers, by the 

 particular fituation of their mouths, are obliged to turn 

 upon their fide before they can feize their food; and while 

 this evolution is performing, their prey often finds time 

 to efcape *. 



But although the devafiations committed by the fh'irk, 

 are thus providentially limited by the aukwafd fituation 

 of his mouth, ftill his depredations are extenfive, and m 

 ev'iry warm climate he is the terror of the failors ; for of 

 all kinds of food, he is faici to difrover the firongefl pre- 

 dile£lioa for human fjelh If by any accidetif a feaman 

 has fallen a viclim to this deftroyer, he is feen for fome 

 time aftei wards hovering about the fame place, and mak- 

 ing feveral returns to the fpot. expecting another repafl 

 of the fame booty : The wake ol a fhip is z favourite re- 

 fort with thoie animals, and nu riberlefs are the inftances 

 in which accident, or the improvident raflmefs of feamen, 



have 



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