The bait had been seized by a shark, and
the iron had made good its hold upon the creature's flesh.
"Now, then, my lads," cried the boatswain, "haul away!"
Passengers and sailors, one and all, put forth what strength they
had to drag the rope, but so violent were the creature's
struggles that it required all our efforts (and it is needless to
say that they were willing enough) to bring it to the surface, At
length, after exertions that almost exhausted us, the water
became agitated by the violent flappings of the tail and fins;
and looking down I saw the huge carcase of the shark writhing
convulsively amidst waves that were stained with blood.
"Steady! steady!" said the boatswain, as the head appeared
above.
The whirl had passed right through the jaw into the middle of the
throat; so that no struggle on the part of the animal could
possibly release it. Dowlas seized his hatchet, ready to
despatch the brute the moment if should be landed on the raft. A
short sharp snap was heard. The shark had closed its jaws, and
bitten through the wooden handle of the hammer. Another moment
and it had turned round and was completely gone.
A howl of despair burst from all our lips. All the labour and
the patience, all had been in vain. Dowlas made a few more
unsuccessful attempts, but as the whirl was lost, and they had no
means of replacing it, there was no further room for hope. They
did, indeed, lower some cords twisted into running knots, but (as
might have been expected) these only slipped over, without
holding, the slimy bodies of the sharks.
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