8 
MADAGASCAK. 
without further incident. The reality of the 
danger, however, and the visible presence of two 
huge sharks, following steadily in our rear, with 
their noses about two feet from the shallow bul¬ 
wark of the heavily laden boat, gave us a con¬ 
siderable scare; and one of our scientific friends, 
who always carried a certain quantity of whisky 
about him, in which to put any specimens of rare 
insects he might meet with, in the excitement 
drew the cork of his flask, and hastily swallowed 
the cordial, utterly oblivious of the fine spider 
which he had only recently deposited for preser¬ 
vation in the spirit. 
The habits and appearance of the shoals of flying- 
fish which suddenly start up out of the placid 
waters at this point of the voyage, are always 
entertaining and worthy of note. The idea of a 
fish with wings is novel; but the sight of a flock 
of these delicate and nicely fashioned creatures 
in full flight, some yards above the crest of the 
waves, when pursued by a porpoise or other 
enemy of their kind, is a spectacle which borders 
on the marvellous. The flashing of their sides 
in the bright sunlight, and the almost noiseless 
motion with which they glide through space, are 
very noticeable. They fall back into their native 
element as suddenly as they rise from it; but an 
unfortunate member of the finny crowd some¬ 
times loses his way or his centre of gravity, and 
