248 NIMBOD OF TBE SEA; OR, 



CHAPTER XXI. 



Angling for Sharks.— Shark in Stays.— Oai-penter of the Jolly Ananias and 

 unfortunate Shark. — ^Land-sharks dealing with our Crew. — Consular Bru- 

 tality and Injustice. — Six Months in an Indian Fort awarded. — A surly 

 Crew at the Windlass. — Captain's Speech, and Comments. — Our Kanaka 

 Crew.— Speed of Whales argued.— The Bun described.— Coughs and 

 Colds. — General Wretchedness. — Tropical Kains and Water-spouts. — 

 Want of Paith in Science avowed. — Job on Rain and bad Weather. 



We on board killed a hog, and dressed it for an immediate 

 sea-pie ; and while the " Doctor " was cooking the body, some 

 of the crew tied the entrails to a line, and fastened them to 

 the spars projecting over the stern. The motion of the ship 

 alternately lifted and dipped them into the water, and in a 

 short time we were surrounded by a crowd of sharks, who 

 worried themselves badly about the unsavory morsel. Mean- 

 while we prepared a more substantial meal for the voracious 

 monsters. Baiting a chain-guarded shark-hook, we awaited 

 sport. A great fellow turned deftly on his side, seized the 

 tempting lure, and dashed for the depths ; but our good gear 

 was too much for his strength, and with the most vigorous 

 protestations he was brought head out of water alongside. 

 A running bow-line inclosing the line was passed over his 

 head and below the great fins, and hauled taut. So he was 

 hauled over the rail on to the deck. The sharks were 

 large and numerous here, and we adopted the most expedi- 

 tious methods of disposing of them. In the opinion of sail- 

 ors, cruelty to the shark is fairly beyond human contrivance, 

 and in this spirit we played a practical joke on a gray-head- 

 ed patriarch of the family. According to usage, when the 

 crew are not of a blood-thirsty mood, they simply put the 



