SHARK. 
221 
constantly prefers the flesh of a negro to that of an 
European. It is on this account that the sharks 
are so assiduous in following the slave-ships from 
the coast of Africa to the West Indies, since the 
mortality which generally prevails on board those 
vessels gives them but too frequent opportunities of 
gratifying their savage appetite. We shall here 
relate two shocking instances of the constant at- 
tendance and great rapacity of these monsters. The 
master of a Guinea ship informed Mr. Pennant that 
a rage of suicide prevailed among his new-bought 
slaves, from a notion the unhappy creatures had, 
that after death they should be restored again to 
their families, friends, and country. To convince 
them at least that they should not reanimate their 
bodies, he ordered one of their corpses to be tied 
by the heels to a rope, and lowered into the sea ; 
and though it was drawn up again as fast as the 
united force of the crew could be exerted, yet in 
that short space the sharks had devoured every 
part but the feet, which were secured at the end 
of the cord. This appetite for human flesh will 
occasion these animals to follow the slave-vessels 
into our colder latitudes. Some years ago a Guinea 
captain was, by stress of weather, driven into the 
harbour of Belfast, in Ireland, with a lading of very 
sickly slaves, who, in the manner above mentioned, 
took every opportunity to throw themselves over- 
board, when brought upon deck, as is usual, for 
the benefit of the fresh air. The captain, among 
others, perceiving a woman slave attempting to 
