The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-09-07
WHOLE NO. 3O49.

J 49, NHS SeiCH& III "oo -
and IN this position awaited the approach of
the shark. The brightness of the suns rays
, rejecting on the water on the windward
siue OF the boat, prevented my seeing an
0nJect beneath the surface until alongside.
IL was thus that my partner saw the horrid
approach OF the terrible animal before my
SELL AS soon as he discovered him he
sang out In stentoran voice, here he
comes, Jem. The pronunciation of the
Idst Word was Simultaneous with the attack.
ne struck the boat, exactly under my left
Knee, ytang and canting 1t at the same time
+ WIN such prodlglous force and violence that
my noid was entirely broken by the con-
cussioh, ana l was precipitated headlong
mo the sea on top of him! 1t is needless
lot me to state that my feelings at this aw-
IN moment were indscribable. However,
was favored with q presence of mind
winch | must think was bestowed upon me
Tor this trying occasion. In the DAYS of
my boyhcod had learned to swim, but had
never made much proficiency in the art
such as 1t was | turned to the best advan-
tage. AS soon as the velocity of my de-
scent into the sea was expended, | turned
and made an effort to reach the surface
but found this impossible at this moment,
tor the shark had placed himself right
across my bowels, and at the same time bit
at them. | strained every nerve to push
him clear of me that might reach the sur
face. My legs, notwithstanding the weight
OF my sea boots, drew right under his huge
body by that suction which every swimmer
must have observed upon endeavoring TO
get out of the water into boat. Whilst
struggling against his cold and rough body
to clear myself of him, my right hand slip
I1a 81
ment / felt his teeth enter my wrist and
acerate my arm and hand. It was about
this moment thai the crew discovered part
OF my boots erect amid the foam of the
water and also discovered the back fin of
the shark. He now crossed my bowels. I
recovered my posture, and when near the
surface and gasping for breath he seized
me again by the hinder part of my leather
trousers and drew me still further under.
The water had already made way into
my mouth, and | believed all was gone.
| thought of my beloved parents, relatives
and friends-made another desperate strug-
gle to avoid the grasp of death, and happi-
ly reached the surface of the water once
more. in state of great exhaustion. Part
ly through presence of mind from having
heard that the negroes of the West Indies
had been known to drive off sharks BY
noise, and partly through fright 1.-THE latter
will be thought to have had the greatest in
huence,1 | screamed aloud and called upon
God for assistance.
now discovered the dory not less than
three times its length from me in the direc-
and at the same moment the voice 81 my ny
companion fell like music upon my ears as
he strained every nerve to reach me and
pronounced the words 81 will save him if
it cost me my life" | swan with all my
remaining strength, and as we'll as my sea
clothing would permit me for the boat, the
shark being all the while but few feet be-
hind, as my companions afterwards told me.
Upon reaching the boat my good friend
dropped his oar and sprang to my relief
He seized me by my woollen shirt to help
me in, and his ardor to save me might for
aught know have been fatal to Us both if he
had not desisted again, for the dory would
not bear the weight of one man on the side
without a corresponding weight opposite to
balance it. | accordingly begged him to
desist, and stand on the further side until
| could in some measure balance myself on
the edge. He then let 90 his hold and
stood SO as properly to balance it, when
made a great effort, succeeded in reaching
the opposite side, and then by his help got
safely in. By this time the reason of the
hands in the moses boat had so far got the
better of their temporary fears, that they
were seen coming round the bow of tho
schooner to our relief This was even now
welcome sight, because one moses boat
would have been worth host of dories in
case of an attack. My companion, howev-
err, piled his oar so we'll that we reached
the schooner unmolested by the shark, and
without any assistance, in few MINUTES.
! Arrived on board, with the blood stream
ing from my wrist and hand, sat about
searching for such other damage as had
sustained. My feelings were such at this
time that should scarcely have felt them
if | had had dozen wounds like the one
which gaped before me. The result of my
examination proved that all other parts of
my person had escaped unscathed Not 60
with my clothing: my clothes were bitten
: through, shirt and all, to my very skin, in
more than a dozen places. Most of the
holes in my leather trousers were in the
hinder part, and about the waistband IN
front. Several of them were more than an
inch in length, and were apparently done
by single teeth. Providentially the only
wounds of much Importance were confined
to my wrist, three of his teeth having enter
ed the back of it about the joint. as far as
the bones would let them. One large tooth
also entered the back Of my hand about an
inch below all the rest of the harm was
confined to scratches of but little depth on
: my arm and hand. The trousers have to
this day. The rents were closed up, and
they were used all the remaining part OF
" that and the whole Of the following year IN
$ the same employment, but they still bear
!. the same indclible marks. Upon examin-
t ing the dory aiterward, it was found TO have
d the impression of many of his teeth on the
r side and bottom, some of which were orok-
g en- into the oak plank of which the bottom
y was composed. The compass OF the sur
: face bitten would equal the dimensions of q
: large plate. He left one Of his teeth nearly
b in my possession. 1t is not much bigger
Y than Tho tooth of a common saw, and bears
2 no proportion. to the impr essions made in
d nv trowsers, or the scars remaining on my
d wrist; so that infer it must have been one
i r. i, carlos IF larger ones il heinv known