vast numbers of sharks infest the seas in the vicinity of the sponges, to the great peril of those who dive for them. these persons say that a sort of dense cloud gradually thickens over their heads, bearing a resemblance to some kind of animal like a flat-fish, and that, pressing downward upon them, it prevents them from returning to the surface. it is for this reason that they carry stilettos with them, very sharp at the point, and attached to them by strings; for if they did not pierce the object with the help of these, it could not be got 166 rid of. this, however, is entirely the result, in my opinion, of the darkness and their own fears; for no person has ever yet been able to find, among living creatures, the fish-cloud or the fish-fog, the name which they give to this enemy of theirs.
the divers, however, have terrible combats with the sharks, which attack with avidity the groin, the heels, and all the whiter parts of the body. the only means of ensuring safety, is to go boldly to meet them, and so, by taking the initiative, strike them with alarm: for in fact, this animal is just as much frightened at man, as man is at it; and they are on quite an equal footing when beneath the water. but the moment the diver has reached the surface, the danger is much more imminent; for he loses the power of boldly meeting his adversary while he is endeavoring to make his way out of the water, and his only chance of safety is in his companions, who draw him along by a cord that is fastened under his shoulders. while he is engaging with the enemy, he keeps pulling this cord with his left hand, according as there may be any sign of immediate peril, while with the right he wields the stiletto, which he is using in his defence. at first they draw him along at a moderate pace, but as soon as they have got him close to the ship, if they do not whip him out in an instant, with the greatest possible celerity, they see him snapped asunder: and many a time, too, the diver, even when already drawn out, is dragged from their hands, through neglecting to aid the efforts of those who are assisting him, by rolling up his body in the shape of a ball. the others, it is true, are in the mean time brandishing their pronged fish-spears; but the monster has the craftiness to place himself beneath the ship, and so wage the warfare in safety. consequently, every possible care is taken by the divers to look out for the approach of this enemy.
the surest sign of safety is to see flat-fish, which never frequent the spots where these noxious monsters are found: and for this reason the divers call them sacred.
