302 THE OCEAN. 
above the hips; and the lower part, together with 
the right arm, was gone.”* 
A dreadful instance of the voracity of these for- 
midable animals occurred a few years ago among 
the Society Islands. Upwards of thirty natives were 
passing from one island to another, in a large double 
canoe, which consists of two canoes fastened toge- 
ther, side by side, by strong horizontal beams, 
lashed to the gunwales by cordage. Being overtaken 
by a storm, the canoes were torn apart, and were 
incapable, singly, of floating upright. In vain the 
crew attempted to balance them—they were every 
moment overturned. Their only resource was to 
form a hasty raft of such loose boards and spars 
as were in the craft, on which they hoped to drift 
ashore. But it happened, from the small size of 
their raft, and their aggregated weight, that they 
were so deep in the water, that the waves washed 
above their knees. Tossed about thus, they soon 
became exhausted with hunger and fatigue; when 
the Sharks began to collect around them, and soon 
had the boldness to seize one and another from the 
raft, who, being destitute of any weapon of defence, 
became an easy prey.“ The number and audacity 
of these monsters every moment increased, and the 
forlorn wretches were one by one torn off, until, but 
two or three remaining, the raft at length, light- 
ened of its load, rose to the surface, and placed the 
survivors beyond the reach of their terrible assailants. 
The tide at length bore them to one of the islands, 
a melancholy remnant, to tell the sad fate of their 
companions, 
* American Missionary Herald. 
