3oO A DESCRIPTION OF 
of drawing him up the ship's side, the monster darted 
after him, and, at a single snap, tore off his leg. 
We are told that, in the reign of Queen Anne, some of 
the men of an English merchant-ship, which had arrived 
at Barbadoes, were one bay bathing in the sea, when 
a large Shark appeared, and sprung forward directly at 
them. A person from the ship called out to warn them of 
their danger ; on which they all immediately swam to the 
vessel, and arrived in perfect safety, except one poor man, 
who was cut in two by the Shark, almost within reach of 
the oars. A comrade and intimate friend of the unfortu- 
nate victim, when he observed the severed trunk of his 
companion, was seized with a degree of horror that words 
cannot describe. The insatiable Shark was seen travers- 
ing the bloody surface in search of the remainder of his 
prey, when the brave youth plunged into the water, de- 
termining either to make the Shark disgorge, or to be 
buried himself in the same grave. He held in his hand a 
long and sharp-pointed knife, and the rapacious animal 
pushed furiously towards him ; he had turned on his side, 
and had opened his enormous jaws, in order to seize him 
when the youth, diving dexterously under, seized him 
with his left hand, somewhere before the upper fins, and 
stabbed him several times in the belly. The Shark, en- 
raged with pain, and streaming with blood, plunged in all 
directions in order to disengage himself from his enemy. 
The crews of the surrounding vessels saw that the combat 
was decided; but they were ignorant which was slain, 
until the Shark, weakened by loss of blood, made towards 
the shore, and along with him his conqueror; who, flushed 
with victory, pushed his foe with redoubled ardour, and, 
by the aid of an ebbing tide, dragged him on shore. Here 
he ripped up the bowels of the animal, obtained the se- 
vered remainder of his friend's body, and buried it with the 
trunk in the same grave. This story, however incredible 
it may appear, is related in the History of Barbadoes, on 
the most satisfactory authority. 
