The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-12-01
at was written so," he calmly replied.
"Be so kind as to finish me-
"KiIl you1"

: at was written So" he calmly replied
"Be so kind as to finish me-"
) "Kill you2"
A BANQUET FOR THE SHARKS.
"Certainly. l would do as well b,
you."
"But cannot do it."
"Then l will. l waited for morning
in hopes my friends would kill you, bu
as they have not, and as all must die,
will go first"
He had his naked knife in his hand
and before l could move to prevent, he
drew it across his throat, and two min.
utes later was dead. We now had the
living to look out for. As | told you,
it was only about sixty feet across the
rip, and we could look right into their
eyes. A more bioodthirsty dozen could
not have been scraped together in the
East. Had they been humbled by the
situation, should have at least hoped
to see them get away, but they were
not. On the contrary, they were brazen
and defiant. As soon as they saw us
moving, they uttered shouts of defiance
and brandished their knives, and be-
cause we did not begin shooting they
taunted US with cowardice.
Just what steps to take 1 did not
know. | stood guard while my COM
panion prepared breakfast, but there
was little fear of any of them crossing
the channel. The sharks had come in
until they actually crowded each other
and out beyond the surf we could see
their dorsal fins by the score. The
natives saw the situation in all lis dan
gers, but they continued defiant. l
called to ask them why they had at
tackled US, as we had done them no
harm and were not trespassing on their
domain, and the leader shouted back
"You are dog You are not fit to
live Yes, you are dog and coward
l have wet my hands in the blood of
halt a hundred white-faced dogs, and l
am only sorry that l haven't your
heart to throw to these fishes !"
"Well, what are you going to do7" l
asked, as l choked back my anger.
"What is it to you, dog Come
You are a coward. Now that it is day.
light, you tremble before US and dare
not shoot Ha 1 believe you will run
awayp'
My companion was for killing them
off at once, but l was more merciful
While l knew they thirsted for my
blood and would kill me if they got the
chance, it seemed awful to shoot them
down in their helpless situation. After
breakfast we Sat down opposite them,
with our guns in our hands, when those
who had knives began to flourish them,
and their tauhts were renewed. The
leader finally worked himself up to such
a pitch of anger that he threw his knife
across at me. 1t came whirling and
whistling through the air and entered
the sand behind me. l replied with a
snapshot with stretched him dead. His
fall only enraged the others, and l had
scarcely finished reloadinp when my
companion said to me:
"1ake care They are going to try
and swim the channel"
They scattered along the bar its full
length, like skirmishers going to the
front, and at given signal, all sprang
into the water. Had there been no
sharks, we could have answered for
every black head crossing the channel.
By spreading out they hoped to distract
the attention of the monsters, and rea-
soned that portion of them would get
over to attack Us. But there were too
many sharks. For about five minutes
the sight was terrible. 1t seemed as II
there were three or four sharks for every
victim, and they fought over the feast
like so many tigers. Not man lived
to make twenty strokes toward US. In
ten minutes after l fired my shot we were
rid of the whole gang, and ready to re-
sumo our labors ; nor were we annoyed
again before the schooner took US off.
From the MeaO York Sun.