five　tons。　　The　very　smallest　of　the　whale　tribe　weighs　ten；　and
  they　go　as　high　as　forty　tons。　　There　are　smaller　fish　than　the
  whale；　that　are　four　times　as　heavy　as　the　elephant。　　Why　doubt；
  then；　that　the　sea　can　breed　a　snake　to　eclipse　the　boa…
  constrictor？　　Even　if　the　creature　had　never　been　seen；　I　should；
  by　mere　reasoning　from　analogy；　expect　the　sea　to　produce　a　serpent
  excelling　the　boa…constrictor；　as　the　lobster　excels　a　crayfish　of
  our　rivers：　see　how　large　things　grow　at　sea！　the　salmon　born　in
  our　rivers　weighs　in　six　months　a　quarter　of　a　pound；　or　less；　it
  goes　out　to　sea；　and　comes　back　in　one　year　weighing　seven　pounds。
  So　far　from　doubting　the　large　sea…serpents；　I　believe　they　exist
  by　the　million。　　The　only　thing　that　puzzles　me　is；　why　they　should
  ever　show　a　nose　above　water；　they　must　be　very　numerous；　I　think。〃
  Captain　Hamilton　laughed；　and　said；　〃Well；　this　IS　new。　　Doctor；　in
  compliment　to　your　opinion；　we　will　go　on　deck；　and　inspect　the
  reptile　you　think　so　common。〃　　He　stopped　at　the　door；　and　said；
  〃Doctor；　the　saltcellar　is　by　you。　　Would　you　mind　bringing　it　on
  deck？　　We　shall　want　a　little　to　secure　the　animal。〃
  So　they　all　went　on　deck　right　merrily。
  The　captain　went　up　a　few　ratlines　in　the　mizzen　rigging；　and
  looked　to　windward；　laughing　all　the　time：　but；　all　of　a　sudden；
  there　was　a　great　change　in　his　manner。　　〃Good　heavens；　it　is
  aliveLUFF！〃
  The　helmsman　obeyed；　the　news　spread　like　wildfire。　　Mess　kids；
  grog　kids；　pipes；　were　all　let　fall；　and　some　three　hundred　sailors
  clustered　on　the　rigging　like　bees；　to　view　the　long…talked…of
  monster。
  It　was　soon　discovered　to　be　moving　lazily　along；　the　propelling
  part　being　under　water；　and　about　twenty…five　feet　visible。　　It　had
  a　small　head　for　so　large　a　body；　and；　as　they　got　nearer；　rough
  scales　were　seen；　ending　in　smaller　ones　further　down　the　body。　　It
  had　a　mane；　but　not　like　a　lion's；　as　some　have　pretended。　　If　you
  have　ever　seen　a　pony　with　a　hog…mane；　that　was　more　the　character
  of　this　creature's　mane；　if　mane　it　was。
  They　got　within　a　hundred　yards　of　it；　and　all　saw　it　plainly；
  scarce　believing　their　senses。
  When　they　could　get　no　nearer　for　the　wind；　the　captain　yielded　to
  that　instinct　which　urges　man　always　to　kill　a　curiosity；　〃to
  encourage　the　rest；〃　as　saith　the　witty　Voltaire。　　〃Get　ready　a
  gunbest　shot　in　the　ship　lay　and　fire　it。〃
  This　was　soon　done。　　Bang　went　the　gun。　　The　shot　struck　the　water
  close　to　the　brute；　and　may　have　struck　him　under　water；　for　aught
  I　know。　　Any　way；　it　sorely　disturbed　him；　for　he　reared　into　the
  air　a　column　of　serpent's　flesh　that　looked　as　thick　as　the
  maintopmast　of　a　seventy…four；　opened　a　mouth　that　looked　capacious
  enough　to　swallow　the　largest　buoy　anchor　in　the　ship；　and；　with　a
  strange　grating　noise　between　a　bark　and　a　hiss；　dived；　and　was
  seen　no　more。
  When　he　was　gone；　they　all　looked　at　one　another　like　men　awaking
  from　a　dream。
  Staines　alone　took　it　quite　coolly。　　It　did　not　surprise　him　in　the
  least。　　He　had　always　thought　it　incredible　that　the　boa…
  constrictor　should　be　larger　than　any　sea…snake。　　That　idea　struck
  him　as　monstrous　and　absurd。　　He　noted　the　sea…serpent　in　his
  journal；　but　with　this　doubt；　〃Semblemore　like　a　very　large　eel。〃
  Next　day　they　crossed　the　line。　　Just　before　noon　a　young　gentleman
  burst　into　Staines's　cabin；　apologizing　for　want　of　ceremony；　but
  if　Dr。　Staines　would　like　to　see　the　line；　it　was　now　in　sight　from
  the　mizzentop。
  〃Glad　of　it；　sir；〃　said　Staines；　〃collect　it　for　me　in　the　ship's
  buckets；　if　you　please。　　I　want　to　send　A　LINE　to　friends　at　home。〃
  Young　gentleman　buried　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　walked　out　in
  solemn　silence；　and　resumed　his　position　on　the　lee…side　of　the
  quarter…deck。
  Nevertheless；　this　opening；　coupled　with　what　he　had　heard　and
  read；　made　Staines　a　little　uneasy；　and　he　went　to　his　friend
  Fitzroy；　and　said；　〃Now；　look　here：　I　am　at　the　service　of　you
  experienced　and　humorous　mariners。　　I　plead　guilty　at　once　to　the
  crime　of　never　having　passed　the　line；　so；　make　ready　your　swabs；
  and　lather　me；　your　ship's　scraper；　and　shave　me；　and　let　us　get　it
  over。　　But　Lord　Tadcaster　is　nervous；　sensitive；　prouder　than　he
  seems；　and　I'm　not　going　to　have　him　driven　into　a　fit　for　all　the
  Neptunes　and　Amphitrites　in　creation。〃
  Fitzroy　heard　him　out；　then　burst　out　laughing。　　〃Why；　there　is
  none　of　that　game　in　the　Royal　Navy；〃　said　he。　　〃Hasn't　been　this
  twenty　years。〃
  〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　said　Dr。　Staines。　　〃If　there's　a　form　of　wit　I
  revere；　it　is　practical　joking。〃
  〃Doctor；　you　are　a　satirical　beggar。〃
  Staines　told　Tadcaster；　and　he　went　forward　and　chaffed　his　friend
  the　quartermaster；　who　was　one　of　the　forecastle　wits。
  〃I　say；　quartermaster；　why　doesn't　Neptune　come　on　board？〃
  Dead　silence。
  〃I　wonder　what　has　become　of　poor　old　Nep？〃
  〃Gone　ashore！〃　growled　the　seaman。　　〃Last　seen　in　Rateliff　Highway。
  Got　a　shop　therelends　a　shilling　in　the　pound　on　seamen's　advance
  tickets。〃
  〃Oh！　and　Amphitrite？〃
  〃Married　the　sexton　at　Wapping。〃
  〃And　the　Nereids？〃
  〃Neruds！〃　（scratching　his　head。）　〃I　harn't　kept　my　eye　on　them
  small　craft。　　But　I　BELIEVE　they　are　selling　oysters　in　the　port　of
  Leith。〃
  A　light　breeze　carried　them　across　the　equator；　but　soon　after　they
  got　becalmed；　and　it　was　dreary　work；　and　the　ship　rolled　gently；
  but　continuously；　and　upset　Lord　Tadcaster's　stomach　again；　and
  quenched　his　manly　spirit。
  At　last　they　were　fortunate　enough　to　catch　the　southeast　trade；
  but　it　was　so　languid　at　first　that　the　ship　barely　moved　through
  the　water；　though　they　set　every　stitch；　and　studding　sails　alow
  and　aloft；　till　really　she　was　acres　of　canvas。
  While　she　was　so　creeping　along；　a　man　in　the　mizzentop　noticed　an
  enormous　shark　gliding　steadily　in　her　wake。　　This　may　seem　a　small
  incident；　yet　it　ran　through　the　ship　like　wildfire；　and　caused
  more　or　less　uneasiness　in　three　hundred　stout　hearts；　so　near　is
  every　seaman　to　death；　and　so　strong　the　persuasion　in　their
  superstitious　minds；　that　a　shark　does　not　follow　a　ship
  pertinaciously　without　a　prophetic　instinct　of　calamity。
  Unfortunately；　the　quartermaster　conveyed　this　idea　to　Lord
  Tadcaster；　and　confirmed　it　by　numerous　examples　to　prove　that
  there　was　always　death　at　hand　when　a　shark　followed　the　ship。
  Thereupon　Tadcaster　took　it　into　his　head　that　he　was　under　a
  relapse；　and　the　shark　was　waiting　for　his　dead　body：　he　got　quite
  low…spirited。
  Staines　told　Fitzroy。　　Fitzroy　said；　〃Shark　be　hanged！　　I'll　have
  him　on　deck　in　half　an　hour。〃　　He　got　leave　from　the　captain：　a
  hook　was　baited　with　a　large　piece　of　pork；　and　towed　astern　by　a
  stout　line；　experienced　old　hands　attending　to　it　by　turns。
  The　shark　came　up　leisurely；　surveyed　the　bait；　and；　I　apprehend；
  ascertained　the　position　of　the　hook。　　At　all　events；　he　turned
  quietly　on　his　back；　sucked　the　bait　off；　and　retired　to　enjoy　it。
  Every　officer　in　the　ship　tried　him　in　turn；　but　without　success；
  for；　if　they　got　ready　for　him；　and；　the　moment　he　took　the　bait；
  jerked　the　rope　hard；　in　that　case　he　opened　his　enormous　mouth　so
  wide　that　the　bait　and　hook　came　out　clear。　　But；　sooner　or　later；
  he　always　got　the　bait；　and　left　his　captors　the　hook。
  This　went　on　for　days；　and　his　huge　dorsal　fin　always　in　the　ship's
  wake。
  Then　Tadcaster；　who　had　watched　these　experiments　with　hope；　lost
  his　spirit　and　appetite。
  Staines　reasoned　with　him；　but　in　vain。　　Somebody　was　to　die；　and；
  although　there　were　three　hundred　and　more　in　the　ship；　he　must　be
  the　one。　　At　last　he　actually　made　his　will；　and　threw　himself　into
  Staines's　arms；　and　gave　him　messages　to　his　mother　and　Lady
  Cicely；　and　ended　by　frightening　himself　into　a　fit。
  This　roused　Staines's　pity；　and　also　put　him　on　his　mettle。　　What；
  science　be　beaten　by　a　shark！
  He　pondered　the　matter　with　all　his　might；　and　at　last　an　idea　came
  to　him。
  He　asked　the　captain's　permission　to　try　his　hand。　　This　was
  accorded　immediately；　and　the　ship's　stores　placed　at　his　disposal
  very　politely；　but　with　a　sly；　comical　grin。
  Dr。　Staines　got　from　the　carpenter　some　sheets　of　zinc　and　spare
  copper；　and　some　flannel：　these　he　cut　into　three…inch　squares；　and
  soaked　the　flannel　in　acidulated　water。　　He　then　procured　a
  quantity　of　bell…wire；　the　greater　part　of　which　he　insulated　by
  wrapping　it　round　with　hot　gutta　percha。　　So　eager　was　he；　that　he
  did　not　turn　in　all　night。
  In　the　morning　he　prepared　what　he　called　an　electric　fusehe
  filled　a　soda…water　bottle　with　gunpowder；　attaching　some　cork　to
  make　it　buoyant；　put　in　the　fuse　and　bung；　made　it　water…tight；
  connected　and　insulated　his　main　wiresenveloped　the　bottle　in
  porktied　a　line　to　it；　and　let　the　bottle　overboard。
  The　captain　and　officers　shook　their　heads　mysteriously。　　The　tars
  peeped　and　grinned　from　every　rope　to　see　a　doctor　try　and　catch　a
  shark　with　a　soda…water　bottle　and　no　hook；　but　somehow　the　doctor
  seemed　to　know　what　he　was　about；　so　they　hovered　round；　and
  awaited　the　result；　mystified；　but　curious；　and　showing　their　teeth
  from　ear　to　ear。
  〃The　only　thing　I　fear；〃　said　Staines；　〃i