It was in the middle watch -
I recollect it, and shall recollect it all my life, as if it were last
night - that we lowered ourselves down very softly from the bows of the
ship, and as soon as we were in the water we struck out for one of the
West Indiamen close to us. The sentry at the gangway saw the light in
the water made by our swimming through it, and he hailed, of course; we
gave no answer, but swam as fast as we could; for after he had hailed
we heard a bustle, and we knew that the officer of the watch was
manning a boat to send after us. I had just caught hold of the cable of
the West Indiaman, and was about to climb up by it, for I was a few
yards before Hastings, when I heard a loud shriek, and, turning round,
perceived a shark plunging down with Hastings in his jaws. I was so
frightened, that for a short time I could not move: at last I recovered
myself, and began to climb up by the cable as fast as I could. I was
just in time, for another shark made a rush at me; and although I was
clear out of the water more than two feet, he sprung up and just caught
my shoe by the heel, which he took down with him. Fear gave me
strength, and in a second or two afterwards I was up at the
hawse-holes, and the men on board, who had been looking over the bows,
and had witnessed poor Hastings' death, helped me on board, and hurried
me down below, for the boat from our ship was now nearly alongside.
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