While William was gazing upon the strange fish, it was seen all at once
to make a rush in the direction of the raft. They could hear a
"swishing" sound, as its huge body passed through the water, at the same
time that its great scimitar-shaped dorsal fin, projecting above the
surface, rapidly traced a rippling line through the whole of its course.
The dash was evidently directed against the shoal of albacore swimming
alongside the _Catamaran_.
But these creatures were constantly on the alert. Although exhibiting
every symptom of fright, they did not seem for an instant to lose their
presence of mind; and as the sword-fish was seen rushing towards them,
all turned as if by a common impulse, and, quick as lightning, passed to
the other side of the raft.
The sword-fish, seeing himself foiled, checked the velocity of his
charge with a suddenness that displayed his great natatory powers; and,
instead of pursuing the albacores under the _Catamaran_, he continued to
follow after the craft, in a sort of skulking, cowardly fashion,--as if
he designed to use stratagem rather than strength in the capture of his
prey.
It soon became evident to little William that the albacores had sought
the companionship of the _Catamaran_ less from the idea of obtaining any
droppings there might be from her decks, than as a protection against
their formidable pursuer,--the sword-fish. Indeed, this is most
probably the reason why not only the albacores and their kindred the
bonitos, but several other kinds of shoal-fish, attach themselves to
ships, whales, and other large objects, that they may encounter floating
or sailing upon the open ocean.
The mode in which the sword-fish makes his attack,--by rushing
irresistibly upon his prey, and impaling it on his long, slender beak,--
is full of risk to himself; for should his "sword" come in contact with
the sides of a ship, or any substance of sufficient strength to
withstand his impetuous "thrust," the chances are that the weapon either
gets broken off altogether, or so embedded that the owner of it falls a
victim to his rash voracity.
Under the excitement of fear, and occupied in watching the movements of
their enemy, Snowball knew there was no chance of the albacores paying
any attention to the hooks he had baited for them. Instead, therefore,
of throwing them over the side, he permitted them to lie upon the
planks, and waited until the sword-fish should either take his departure
or fall far enough into the wake of the _Catamaran_ to permit, on the
part of the creatures swimming alongside, a temporary forgetfulness of
his presence.
"It am no use trowin' dem de hook," said he, addressing himself to the
sailor, "no use jess yet, so long de sharp snout am dar. We mus' wait
till he go out ob dar sight an out ob dar hearin too."
"I suppose we must," rejoined Ben; "that be a pity too. They'd bite
greedy enough, if the ugly thing warn't there. That I know, for I've
seed 'em many's the time."
This was not the only bit of information concerning the albacore and
their enemy communicated by the sailor to his companions on the raft,
but more especially to his _protege_, who, feeling a strange interest in
those creatures, had asked several questions concerning them. During
the interval, while they were waiting for some change in the tactics of
the pursuer,--hoping that he might get ahead and abandon the pursuit,--
Ben imparted to his audience several chapters of his experience,--in
which either albacore or sword-fish, and sometimes both, had figured as
the principal actors. Among others, he related an anecdote of a ship in
which he had sailed having been pierced by the beak of a sword-fish.
At the time the incident occurred there was no one on board who had any
suspicion of its nature. The crew were below at their dinner; when one
of the sailors who chanced to be on deck heard a loud splashing in the
water. On looking over the ship's side, and seeing a large body just
sinking below the surface, the sailor supposed it to be some one of the
crew who had gone over, and instantly raised the cry of "A man
overboard!"
The crew were paraded; when it was ascertained that no one was missing.
Though the sailors were at a loss to account for the singular
appearance, the alarm soon subsided; and nothing more was thought of the
matter. Shortly after, one of the men,--Ben Brace himself, it was,--
chanced to ascend the rigging; and while aloft he perceived a rugged
mass projecting from the side of the ship, just below the water line.
On a boat being lowered and the thing examined, it proved to be the
_rostrum_ of a sword-fish, broken off from the animal's head. It was
the body of the animal,--no doubt, killed by the concussion,--which the
sailor had seen sinking in the water.
The "sword" had pierced completely through the copper sheathing and
solid timbers of the larboard bow of the ship; and on the sailors going
below, they found eight or ten inches of its top projecting into the
inside, embedded among some coals contained in the hold!
Singular as the sailor's story might appear, it was not in the least an
exaggeration. Snowball knew it was not: for the ex-sea-cook could have
told of like experiences; and William was also satisfied of its truth,
from having read the account of a similar incident, and heard that the
evidences of it,--that is, a piece of the solid wood of the ship's
timbers, with the sword imbedded in it,--were to be seen at any time in
the British Museum.
Just as Ben had finished his curious relation, a movement upon the part
of the pursuer told an intention of changing his tactics,--not as if he
was about to retreat, but rather to assume a bolder attitude of offence.
The sight of such a fine shoal of fat albacores,--so near and yet so
long keeping clear of his attack, appeared to have tantalised him to a
point beyond endurance; and, being extra hungry, perhaps he was
determined to dine upon them, _coute qui coute_.
With this intent he drew nearer to the _Catamaran_ swooping from quarter
to quarter, then along the sides, and once or twice darting ahead, so as
to create in the shoal a degree of excitement that might force them into
irregularity of action.
This very effect he at length succeeded in producing; for the pretty
creatures became more frightened than ever; and instead of swimming, as
hitherto, in concert, and parallel to each other as they had been doing,
they got huddled into a crowd, and commenced darting, pell-mell, in
every direction.
In the midst of their confusion a large band became separated,--not only
from the others, but from the _Catamaran_,--and fell several fathoms'
length into the wake of the craft.
Upon these the hungry eyes of the prowling monster were now fixed; but
only for a moment: for in the next he was charging down among them with
a velocity that caused the water to spray upwards against his dorsal
fin, while the rushing sound made by his body could be heard afar off
over the ocean, "Look, Will'm!" cried Ben, anxious that his _protege_
should not miss seeing the curious spectacle. "Look, lad! yonder's a
sight worth seein'. Shiver my timbers, if he han't got a brace o' 'em
on his toastin' fork!"
While Ben was speaking, the sword-fish had charged into the middle of
the frightened flock. There was a momentary plashing,--as several of
the albacores leaped up out of the water and fell back again,--there was
a surging and bubbling over a few yards of surface, which hindered a
clearer view of what was passing; and then outside reappeared the
sword-fish, with his long weapon projected above the water, and a brace
of the beautiful albacores impaled upon its point!
The wretched creatures were struggling to free themselves from their
painful position; but their struggles were not for long. They were
terminated almost on the instant,--by the sword-fish giving a quick jerk
of his head, and tossing, first one and then the other of his victims
high into the air!
As they came down again, it was to fall, not upon the water, but into
the throat of the voracious tyrant; who, although toothless and without
any means of masticating, made shorter work of it by introducing them
_untoothed_, and at a single gulp, into his capacious maw!