Year: 1873

WE had not long come into the road
stead at Madras when circumstance oc-
CURED which 1 cannot help relating.
There was a Lascar on our ship who was
very expert in handling a catamaran, a
kind of raft made of three sticks of wood
lashed together, and used in the surf,
which in this place rolls in very heavily.
| This man had little child, boy OF eight
years; and, while we lay here he would
take this boy and show him how to handle
the catamaran, it being his intention to
bring the lad up to this pursuit.


Now it happened one morning that 60
! ing out very early, even before the day
had sprung, the catamaran ran foul of a
palm which was washing ashore, and
overset, throwing the man and the boy
enough, for he swan like a ducK, ana
made for the raft, which he had scarcely
reached when he saw huge shark seize
the child and make to sea with its prey.
The man, as may be supposed, was hor-
rifled at the sight. and for moment
dazed; but he soon recovered, and draw
! ing long knife which he. carried in his
cummerbund, plunged after the shark. /
was on the beach at the time, and saw the
whole affair. The man disappeared, but
rose again, the shark near him, and both
apparently engaged in desperate conflict
This lasted several minutes. The water
then began to grow red; the man rose
two or three times in quick succession,
his knife still IN his hand, and striking
with great force and energy.


This continued several seconds. Then
the shark rose, suddenly and throwingfits
huge form half way out of the spray sank
with heavy plunge, dyeing the water
with deep crimson as it disappeared. l
looked now anxiously for the man, and
seeing no sign of him thought he had
shared the fate of his adversary; but pres
emily he came to the surface and swan
directly for the shore. He was very much
exhausted, but his body was without
wound, a strange circumstance, seeing
the dangers he had encountered.


After he had rested, 1 asked him to
relate the particulars of his combat with
the sea monster, which he did. He said
that as soon as he plunged into the water
he saw the shark in the act of devouring
the child; that he made toward it and gave
it a stroke with his knife; that the shark
turned and snapped at him; but he, div
ing, evaded its jaws and coming up under
its belly gave it stab, and the knife
running along produced wound over a
yard in length, which, in short, made an
end of the monster. On receiving this
wound it ragged about in furry for few
seconds, then careening on its side drifted
at the mercy of the waves mere piece of
| lifeless matter.


Such was the story of this brave mans
encounter. While we were talking,
| heard clamor among some of the Mass
volah boatmen on the beach, and sent
one of our men to learn its occasion.
He came back with the tidings that the
shark had come ashore and the noise we
heard proceeded from the natives who
were amazed at its size, which was indeed
enormous, and the number of wounds
which it had received. On hearing this
proceeded toward the place where it was
stranded taking the Lascar with me,
who by this time had thoroughly regained
| his energies.


We approached the monster. 1t lay
on its side among alot of sea-weed, the
blood still oozing from the wounds with
which its body was covered. The
size, as have observed, was surprising.
had seen sharks of large proportions;
but they were small compared to this
creature. did not measure it carefully;
but it was near thirty feet in length and
as big round as the main mast of our
| ship. 1t had made a bold defence and
was not conquered till it's life gushed
out from multitude of wounds.


After satisfying my curiosity, l had
the monster opened, when ghastly spec
tacle was presented. The child was
found in its stomach; but utterly dis
membered, the head being severed from
the body, and the whole so ground to-
gether as to be scarce recognizable. Twas
greatly overcome by this melancholy
sight; even the apathy of the Hindoo
gave way, and as he gazed on the remains
of his child, his sorrow burst forth in
loud lamentations.-"Se "SeGfaring Men" By
Hector 4. Stkart.