f me to say they were
glad--what I mean is, that they felt a secret satisfaction at what was
going on--springing not from pure wanton cruelty of heart, but rather
from an instinct of self-preservation. Hitherto, these men had been in
great dread of the blacks overtaking the raft--they were not yet free
from the fear--and, of course, with this in their minds, they regarded
with satisfaction the wholesale ravage that the sharks were committing.
By this their own danger was every moment diminished--hence it is that
they were gratified at the hideous spectacle.

But numerous as were the sharks, there were not enough of them to make
total destruction of that vast crowd of human beings. After the first
general attack the ravenous brutes appeared to become scarcer and
scarcer, until but one here and one there, could be seen rushing upon
their prey. The greater number, having already secured a victim, were
satisfied and perhaps had gone down to their haunts in the darker deep--
while hundreds of human heads were still observable above the surface of
the water.

The flames, still flaring brilliantly, illumined the sea as if the day
was shining upon it; and it could be observed that the faces of the
survivors were all turned in the direction of the raft, towards which
they were swimming with all their strength.

Once more the sailors became inspired with apprehension--once more they
dreaded that their last hour was come, and that they themselves might
soon be struggling among the sharks.

CHAPTER SIXTY.

There was much shouting among the white men and many wild exclamations,
but no time was lost in idle talk--for every one was doing his best to
propel the raft. The shouts were only an accompaniment to their
actions. Nearly every one wielded some implement, which had been
grappled in the hurry of the moment. Some were provided with oars,
others had only handspikes, and still others assisted in paddling with
pieces of board that had been obtained from old coops, or the bulwarks
broken by the falling mast. Those who could find nothing better
stretched themselves along the edge of the raft and beat the water with
their hands, in order to aid in producing a forward motion.

But the great masses of timber--not yet firmly lashed together--lay
loose and loggish upon the water, and moved very slowly and irregularly
under such ill-assorted propulsion: and, notwithstanding that the raft
had obtained a hundred yards the sta