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Article PENCILLINGS FBOM THE SKETCH-BOOK OF A MA... ← Page 6 of 13 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Fbom The Sketch-Book Of A Ma...
taken by the sailors : specimens , too , were caught up of the singularly delicate Portuguese man-of-war , as it is termed , whose substance in the sun ' s rays appears prismatic , changeable like the ehamelion , though for the most part rose-coloured , and which , when taken in the hand , produces immediate blisters on the skin . As soon
as we had reached the tropics and come within the influence of the trade winds , sharks in numbers made their appearance , surrounded by their piscine aides-de-camp , the pilot-fish ; for as the staff follow their general in the field , so surely does this beauteous species of the finny tribe attend on its master . Inexpressibly elegant , and of the size of a river perch , the streaked pilot-fish is most difficult to be caught , though it will linger , as with affection strong as death , about
the stern of the ship for even an hour after the voracious shark has been hauled on board . There is , too , another little creature deserving notice here : I mean the sucking-fish , which , with that wonderful tenacity with which the parasitical creeper attaches itself to a tree , is found in numbers on the body of the sea-monster , brown-coloured , and of the length and size of a man ' s finger : it can only be detached from it with considerable difficulty , so long as the shark possesses any signs of vitality . The mode of proceeding with
the latter was as follows : —when he had taken the bait , he was forthwith hauled in astern , two or three men from the chains or poop having thrown out a noose—or , as it is called , a bowline knot—by a
jerk of the same he was secured , and fairly landed . It is remarkaole for how long a time the heart will remain convulsed after separation from the body : I observed this in the case of a shark cut up by the surgeon , in which a pulsatory movement was visible for half an hour afterwards .
In these latitudes , an opportunity was afforded us of seeing , at a few miles distance , a water-spout : it appeared as if stationary for about a quarter of an hour ; then , like the tints of the rainbow , gradually became fainter , and at length wholly disappeared . With such force do these columns of water descend , that if a vessel is so
unlucky as to come in contact with one , great mischief may be done . Even the decks have been known to be broken up by the discharge . It is said that the firing of a cannon when in its vicinity will , however , by reason of the air ' s concussion , break the volume of water , and thus no danger need be apprehended . About this time we spoke with a Portuguese slave-trader , bound to the coast of Africa , on that horrid traffic .
On the 23 rd of December we crossed the Line , and several young sailors who had never met Neptune face to face previously , underwent the operation of shaving . This prescriptive but somewhat barbarous rite , had however , even in the days I write of , got
somewhat into disuse , or had at least lost much of its ferocity , and our crew suffered no very great severities at the hands of the briny god . As regards the passengers , he of the tridental sceptre dispensed with this ultimatum of homage , by a commutation in the shape of money , and an article of which Jack is usually fond to a prodigious extent—
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Fbom The Sketch-Book Of A Ma...
taken by the sailors : specimens , too , were caught up of the singularly delicate Portuguese man-of-war , as it is termed , whose substance in the sun ' s rays appears prismatic , changeable like the ehamelion , though for the most part rose-coloured , and which , when taken in the hand , produces immediate blisters on the skin . As soon
as we had reached the tropics and come within the influence of the trade winds , sharks in numbers made their appearance , surrounded by their piscine aides-de-camp , the pilot-fish ; for as the staff follow their general in the field , so surely does this beauteous species of the finny tribe attend on its master . Inexpressibly elegant , and of the size of a river perch , the streaked pilot-fish is most difficult to be caught , though it will linger , as with affection strong as death , about
the stern of the ship for even an hour after the voracious shark has been hauled on board . There is , too , another little creature deserving notice here : I mean the sucking-fish , which , with that wonderful tenacity with which the parasitical creeper attaches itself to a tree , is found in numbers on the body of the sea-monster , brown-coloured , and of the length and size of a man ' s finger : it can only be detached from it with considerable difficulty , so long as the shark possesses any signs of vitality . The mode of proceeding with
the latter was as follows : —when he had taken the bait , he was forthwith hauled in astern , two or three men from the chains or poop having thrown out a noose—or , as it is called , a bowline knot—by a
jerk of the same he was secured , and fairly landed . It is remarkaole for how long a time the heart will remain convulsed after separation from the body : I observed this in the case of a shark cut up by the surgeon , in which a pulsatory movement was visible for half an hour afterwards .
In these latitudes , an opportunity was afforded us of seeing , at a few miles distance , a water-spout : it appeared as if stationary for about a quarter of an hour ; then , like the tints of the rainbow , gradually became fainter , and at length wholly disappeared . With such force do these columns of water descend , that if a vessel is so
unlucky as to come in contact with one , great mischief may be done . Even the decks have been known to be broken up by the discharge . It is said that the firing of a cannon when in its vicinity will , however , by reason of the air ' s concussion , break the volume of water , and thus no danger need be apprehended . About this time we spoke with a Portuguese slave-trader , bound to the coast of Africa , on that horrid traffic .
On the 23 rd of December we crossed the Line , and several young sailors who had never met Neptune face to face previously , underwent the operation of shaving . This prescriptive but somewhat barbarous rite , had however , even in the days I write of , got
somewhat into disuse , or had at least lost much of its ferocity , and our crew suffered no very great severities at the hands of the briny god . As regards the passengers , he of the tridental sceptre dispensed with this ultimatum of homage , by a commutation in the shape of money , and an article of which Jack is usually fond to a prodigious extent—