SHARKS. 
307 
And, from the partners of that cruel trade 
Which spoils unhappy Guinea of her sons, 
Demands his share of prey, demands themselves.” 
A dreadful instance of the voracity of these 
formidable 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 together, side by side, by strong 
horizontal beams, lashed to the gunwales by cord- 
age. 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 everj^ moment over- 
turned. 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 be- 
came 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 in- 
creased, and the forlorn wretches were one by 
one torn off, until, but two or three remaining, 
the raft at length, lightened 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 melan- 
choly remnant, to tell the sad fate of their com- 
panions- 
