The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-27 00:00:00

SWAN RIVER.

[Extract from the Log-hook of an Emigrant proceeding
to the Swan River, dated Cape of Good Hope, Dec.
10, 1829.]

October 14th, in nine degrees fell in with a shoal of
sharks, which played round the vessel, to the annoyance of
the sailors, who are rather superstitious, and consider such
visitors as ominous of evil, and which indeed proved too
true. At mid-day all the gentlemen were busily employed
(it being a dead calm) in baiting hooks to catch sharks,
and one of them soon took the bait. Lamentable result !
A general shout of victory was given, and the line was
let run astern. The fish was full eighteen feet in length,
and in floundering to disentangle itself, caused so much
sport, that several.' passengers, eager and headstrong,
crowded into the Captain's boat, which hung suspended
by the quarter davids over the stern of the ship. Sud-
denly they all got to the head of the boat to see the shark
hauled under the stern of the vessel, struggling with the
line. In a moment the quarter david on the starboard side
of the vessel broke off. and let one end of the boat down,
precipitating every soul in it into the sea among the sharks.
Here was a scene of horror and confusion ! The Captain
was in the midships when it happened. I was busily em-
ployed at my tents,, under the tuition of the boatswain,
but, like the rest, when the shark was caught, left my oc-
cupation to witness the sport, but Providence guided me
to a point of safety. I got over the ship's side, and placed
myself in the mizen chains. The boatswain slung himself
by a rope, and lowered himself to the surface of the water,
with the harpoon in his hand, ready to strike the fish, at
the very instant the accident happened. Young Williams
followed me, but not satisfied with the view, he hastily
climbed up the side of the poop cabin, and was the last
that jumped into the unlucky boat, and made up the num-
ber of twelve persons struggling in the sea among these
fish of prey. Our Captain was almost beside himself when
he jumped up on the poop. There was no time for
thought—all hands commenced throwing out ropes, loose
spars, oars, and every buoyant article we could lay hands
on for them to cling to. Fortunately it was a dead calm,
or every soul must have perished ;—our vessel only drifted
by the little current of the sea. I saved one lad by throw-
ing over a knife-board which the cabin-boy had been
using ; my man Hibberd threw over an Indian mat.
Master Shaw, a young gentleman about thirteen, got upon
it, and was three miles astern of us before we could reach
him with the boat, which was instantly manned and
launched. I saved Mr. Earl's footman, who could swim,
but was so exausted from fear of the sharks that he was
sinking, when I dragged the line the shark was att!ched
to across his face, and he had the presence of mind to put
the cord between his teeth, when I hauled him with-
in reach of a rope with a loop which lie contrived
to get one of his legs through, and thus clinging, three
or four of us hauled him safe up. Mr. Peter Shad-
well was also most actively canployed ; he has been in
the East India Company's service, is a brother of the
Vice-Chancellor of England, a pleasant companion of
mine,—in short, after half an hour's exertion, all were
saved but two. I lament to say Williams was one of the
unfortunates. I saw him sink to rise no more. He had
hold of an oar, but lost his balance—he slipped it, and
actually flung his arms round the captured shark, (which
was now pulled up to the surface of the water), to save
himself; but when he found out what lie hid hold of he
was so horror struck be called me by name, " Oh my God !
my God ! witness my end !" and down he sank to rise RO
more. Also a fine healthy country boy, whom my friend
Lukin had taken as an apprentice, with another brother,
from the parish of Dover, the surviving brother suffered
much more than I can describe. Thus two lives were
lost to answer the confirmation of the sailor's omen, that
sharks always prognosticate signs of death or some evils
to the ship,—thus it proved. This indeed was a tragic
day. The fish, lire, and all, drifted away, and we all re-
turned thanks to God for allowing us to save the other
ten.--Lichfield Mercury.

GUY'S SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK.-7-011 the
first publication of this, now popular Compendium of
General History, we pointed out to our school friends some
of its admirable qualities, and we then predicted its great
success ; the extensive demand for it has even gone
yond our expectation. It is already, we understand, a
class book in nearly all the intelligent schools of the em-
pire, and certainly a work embracing so many useful sub-
jects within such a moderate compass was never before
offered to teachers. The leading features of the book,
viz., Ancient and Modern History, and Biography, have
never before been given so complete, for in it will be found
the prominent particulars of Ten Ancient and Eighteen
Modern Kingdoms and States ; and connected with this
division of the work, are interesting details of both
Ancient and Modern Biography, elucidating characters,
with which well-educated youth should be familiar.—
The whole may be clearly apprehended, and indelibly fixed
in the mind ; and this hitherto much neglected branch of
education may, with little encroachment on the student's
time, be, in future, incorporated with the established course
of academic instruction.