This ghost of a fish is not often encountered, and shows plainer by
night than by day. Timon-like, he always swims by himself; gliding
along just under the surface, revealing a long, vague shape, of a
milky hue; with glimpses now and then of his bottomless white pit of
teeth. No need of a dentist hath he. Seen at night, stealing along
like a spirit in the water, with horrific serenity of aspect, the
White Shark sent many a thrill to us twain in the Chamois.

By day, and in the profoundest calms, oft were we startled by the
ponderous sigh of the grampus, as lazily rising to the surface, he
fetched a long breath after napping below.

And time and again we watched the darting albicore, the fish with the
chain-plate armor and golden scales; the Nimrod of the seas, to whom
so many flying fish fall a prey. Flying from their pursuers, many of
them flew into our boat. But invariably they died from the shock. No
nursing could restore them. One of their wings I removed, spreading
it out to dry under a weight. In two days' time the thin membrane,
all over tracings like those of a leaf, was transparent as isinglass,
and tinted with brilliant hues, like those of a changing silk.

Almost every day, we spied Black Fish; coal-black and glossy. They
seemed to swim by revolving round and round in the water, like a wheel;
their dorsal fins, every now and then shooting into view, like spokes.

Of a somewhat similar species, but smaller, and clipper-built about
the nose, were the Algerines; so called, probably, from their corsair
propensities; waylaying peaceful fish on the high seas, and
plundering them of body and soul at a gulp. Atrocious Turks! a
crusade should be preached against them.