Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-12-05

uncertain strength of my arms and
legs tor salvation. So turned my
bait-box upside down, and mounting
upon that, endearored to comfort my
spirits, and TO be courageous, but sub
mlssiye to my fate. Thought Oft land
what it might bring with it, and | tried
to repent Of my multiplied iniquities of
my almost wasted life; but / found that
was no place for sinner to settle his
accounts Wretched soul, pray | could
not.
/ "The water had not got above my
aneles, when to my inexpressible ioy,I
saw sloop bending down towards
me, with the evident intention Of pick
ing ne up. No man can imagine
what were the sensations of gratitude
which filled my bosom at that moment.
"When she got within hundred
yards of the reef, ] sung out to the
man at the helm to huff up, and lie by,
and lowerthe boat; but to my amaze
ment, could get no reply, nor notice
of my request. | entreated them, for
the love Of heaven, to take me off; and
| promised I know not what rewards,
that were entirely beyond my power
of beStowal. But the brutal wretch of
a captain, mutterlng something to the
effect of that he hadn't time to stop,'
and giving me the kind and sensible
advice to pull off my coat and swim
ashore, put the helm hard down, and
away bore the sloop on the other tack.
'Heartless villian!' j shreked
out, in the torture of my disappoint-
ment, may God reward your inhuman
ity.' The crew answered my prayer
with a coarse loud laugh; and the cook
asked me through speaking trumpet,
'IfI wasn't afraid of catching cold =
the black rascal!
at now was time to strip; for my
knees felt the cool tide, and the wind
dying away, left heavy swell, that
swayed and shook the box upon which
| was mounted, SO that | had &C.
casionally to stoop and paddle with
my hands against the water,in order TO
preserve my perpendicular. The set
ting sun sent his almost horizontal
streams of fire across the dark waters,
making them gloomy and terrific by
the contrast of his amber and purple
! glories.
"Something glided by me in the wa
ter, and then made sudden halt. |
looked upon the black mass, and as my
eyes ran along its dark outline, saw,
with horror, that it was a shark-the
identical monster out of whose mouth
/ had just broken my hook. He was
/ fishing now for me, and was evidently
only waiting for the tides to rise high
enough above the rock, to glut at once
his hunger and revenge. AS the wa
ter continued to mount above my
knees, he seemed to grow more hungry
and familiar. At last, he made des-
perate dash, and approached within an
inch of my legs, turned upon his back,
and opened his huge Jaws for an attack.
With desperate strength, I thrust the
end of my rod violently at his mouth;
and the brass head, ringing against his
teeth, threw him back into the deep
current, and | lost sight of him entire
ly. This, however, was but momen-
tary repulse, for in in the next minute
he was close behind my back, and
pulling at the skirts of my fustian coat,
which hung dipping in the water. !
leaned forward hastily, and endeavor-
ed to extricate myselffrom the danger
Gus grasp; but the monsters teeth
| were too firmly set, and his immense
strength nearly drew me over. SO
down flew my rod, and off went my
Jacket, devoted peace offerings to my
voracious visiter.
g In an instant the waves all round
me were dashed into Groth and foam
No sooner was my poor old sporting
friend drawn under the surface, than it
was fought for by at least dozen e.
normous combatants The battle ra-
ged upon every side. High black fms
rushed now here, now there, and long,
strong tails scattered sleet and froth,
and the brine was thrown up IN jets,
and eddied, and curled, and fell, and
swelled, like whirlpool in Hell-gate.
"Of no long duration, however, was
this fshy tourney. 1t seemed soon to
be discovered that the prize contended
for contained nothing edible but cheese
and crackers, and no flesh; and as its
mutilated fragments rose to to the sur
face. the waves sabsided into their for
mer smooth condition. Not till then
did experience the real tenors Of my
situation. As | looked around me TO
see what had become of the robbers, /
counted one. two, three-yes, up to