y morning, in the warm latitudes, while the sea was calm, a young
man, on his first voyage, quietly undressed himself, and without a
word to any one, thoughtlessly mounted the cathead and plunged into
the water. He swam off some distance from the ship, and laughing and
shouting, seemed greatly to admire the refreshing exercise. The captain,
on being informed of his imprudent conduct, called to him, rebuked him
severely, and ordered him to return immediately to the ship. The young
sailor turned about, wondering what impropriety there could be in
taking a pleasant bath during such sultry weather. He swam beneath
the fore-chain-wales, and took hold of a rope to aid him in getting on
board. A couple of his shipmates also seized him by the wrists to assist
him in climbing up the side. For a moment he remained motionless, with
half his body in the water, when a huge shark, that had been lying in
wait under the ship's bottom, seized him by the leg. The unfortunate
young man uttered the most piteous screams, and every one was
instinctively aware of the cause of his terrible agony. The captain
ordered the men who held the arms of the sufferer to "hold on," and
jumped in the chain-wale himself to assist them. By main strength the
poor fellow was dragged fainting on board; but his foot was torn off,
together with a portion of the integuments of the leg, and the bones
were dreadfully crushed. He lived in agony a few days, when he expired.
Incidents of this nature will satisfactorily account for the hatred
which a sailor bears towards a shark.

Chapter IV. LAND, HO!

On the day succeeding the capture of the shark a fine breeze sprung
up. Once more the white foam appeared beneath the bows, as the old brig
plunged, and rolled, and wriggled along on her way towards Demarara.
With a strong breeze on the quarter, it required not only labor, but
skill, to steer the interesting craft. One of the "old salts," having
been rebuked by the captain for steering wildly, declared, in a grave
but respectful tone, that he could steer as good a trick at the helm as
any man who ever handled a marlinspike; but he "verily believed the old
critter knew as much as a Christian, and was obstinately determined to
turn round and take a look at her starn!"

The regular "trade wind" now commenced, and there was a prospect,
although still a distant one, of ultimately reaching the port to
which we were bound. The trade winds blow almost constantly from on