e shark grabbed it in a moment, and we had him fast.
Those on deck had just before been endeavouring to pass a rope under his
head, and this now slipped up and caught in his jaws. No sooner did he
feel the iron in his mouth, than, darting forward, away he went ahead of
the vessel. As I sprang on deck the idea struck me that I would make
him of use. There was no great difficulty, for, passing another line
over his jaws, we had a regular pair of reins on him. One end of the
line was brought in on the starboard and the other on the larboard bow
port, while the hook in the nose served to bring him sharp up, when he
ran too fast. No sooner were these arrangements made than away he went
at a rapid pace ahead, towing us at the rate of at least six knots an
hour--I like always to be under the mark, for fear of being thought
guilty of exaggeration. By hauling in, now on one side, now on the
other, we managed to steer him very well on our proper course.

"The calm continued, but on we glided through the water, to the
inexpressible astonishment of the crews of several craft we passed, who,
of course, thought the Lady Stiggins must be the Flying Dutchman. As we
entered the harbour, the surprise of people on shore was equally great;
and no sooner did we drop our anchor than the brig was surrounded by
boats full of people, eager to hear an explanation of the phenomenon.
They could scarcely credit our assertions when we told them how we had
got along, till we showed them the monster frisking about under the bows
almost as tame and docile as a dog.

"I had always a wonderful knack of managing pets of all sorts, and by
kindly treating Jack Shark he became very fond of me, and whenever I
went on shore, he would swim after the boat, and remain frolicking about
near her till my return. At last I thought I would make him of use; so,
rigging a pair of short reins, I slipped them over his jaws, and then
jumped on his back. He understood in a moment what was expected of him,
and away he went with me at a rapid rate through the water. After that,
lighting my pipe quite comfortably, I invariably went on shore on his
back, and throwing my reins over a post, I used to leave him till my
return. You may depend on it, none of the little blackamoors ever
played tricks with him.

"There are many of the principal merchants and others at Kingston even
now who would, young gentlemen, if you were to ask them, vouch for the
truth of the circums