Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-11-09

in il, and in the bays close To the town shou'o
suppose that sharks scarcely ever come, beng
in that respect different from the West indies
or the coast of Africa took my usual swim
out for twenty minutes or so, and returned
home. On that same day. as i was walking
with another friend, after the morning service,
a constable touched him upon the shoulder,
and pressed his services as a Juryman 10 serve
on an inquest then about being held upon the
body Of man " that morning killed by
shark" We found the poor fellow with
terrible wound, extending from the upper part
of the thigh 10 the knee, the flesh being, IN
fact, entirely stripped from the bone. lie was
a convict, who had been confined IN Cookatoo
Island, station for prisoners, situated about
eight miles from Sydney higher up the harbor,
and further from the sea than the spot where !
bathed that morning. The circumstances at
tending the accident were peculiar. He and
some other prisoners had received permission
TO bathe he being the first stripped, jumped
into the water, which in every part Of the har-
Dor of Sydney, and the coast generally, IA
deep, being in that respect very unlike the
Shelving coasts of the country. lie had not
swan more than few yards before one Of the
skuking ground sharks had him fast by the
upper part of the thigh. One of his comrades
in the most gallant manner jumped in and selz-
ed hold of him and after struggle, III which
all the flesh was stripped off, the poor fellow
was got on shore ; but the great artery OF the
thigh was severed, and he was already dead.
Another case, somewh hat similar to the above,
took place IN remote partoi the coast OF Aus
tralla some years previous 10 1t. Long VIII
the catastrophe be remembered by surro"Ing
friends in that part of the world, although
many years have passed away since 1t occur
red for, unlike the last case, the victim was
not an Oucast from society, convict loosed
from his chains for a few moments, but
young and fair lad, the pride OF his fond moth
er, who had, By singular fatality, lost her
husband and Sc, era other members OF her fam
ily b, drow ming, and friend and school-iel-
low of the writer of this article. lie was III
ding in the lonely bush in company with one
servant from one cattle station to another, #
remember Alright. The road lay for consld-
cradle distance along the banks oil WHIST Is
termed in the map "A river but which Is, IN
/, fact, an arm of the sea. lie was about twelve
years Of age and as would he expected from
lad fresh from school, fsdIng himself on
l horseback, about to proceed to spot where he
would have plenty Of shooting aud Kangaroo
, hunting, as well as riding after wild cattle, lac
was i'll very high spirits. The day was very
IL
' himself on the very verge Of the cool blue wa
r ter, no wonder he felt inclined to battle. The
, servant, however, reminded him that they had
: sixty miles yet to ride, and should lose no
e time he resolved, therefore, TO bathe his feet
E only, which were very hot. he dlsmounied,
3 as did also the man and pulling of his shoes
. and stockings, he seated himself on Hat ledge
: Of rock, where the water was very deep, aHo
I Dipped his feet in. 1t was much the same as
4 il person suspended his feet over the side OF
d boat in deep water. Ills head was turned
+ towards the man, with whom he was al TIE
l. moment speaking, when small ground shark
l. about five fcot long, rose suddenly, and selZng
o him by the calf Of the leg dragged HIM OIL TIE
+; rock into the water. The man had seen the
T, fish rise but SO rapidly was the poor lad selz
d ed, that ere he could spring forward To grasI
y HIM, the shark had already borne him shrek
e ing away As in the last mentioned case, th'
e looker-on was brave and true-heartsd. lie
q leaped into the water, lelng good swimme
/: fortunately; and, though with some difficulty
Dt succeeded iR reaching and taking hold OF tn
D bow for when a shark has large body IN II
ID laws, it generally rushes ts and fro on the SUI
Ar face Of the water. For long time did the
ID stru ege, the man endeavourng to reach III
III shore, and the shark rushing sometime IN tia
ID direction, and al others III the opposite. a
n length, however, they reached spot som
I'd thirty ward. OF so further up the shore, an
as where the water shoaled sufficiently to peTml
I, the man to plant his feet for an instant on In
n ground The moment this happened owing I
d. the great resistance offered, the flesh Instant
as senara,cd from the bones, and the shark swat
Du of with the piece IN his jaws. lie got tn
IT poor lad, who was half drowned and nearly II
at ,ka and had {
TO tance been at hand, his life might ultlmatel
9, have been preserved. But the nearest al
of vas sixty mile. and the limb was so dreadtu
'e- " wounded Uhe whole Of the back portion
up the leg beng either torn of, or separated iroI
ed the bone that, carrying before him on IT
nd saddle he was obliged 10 travel very slowI,
It, Worse than this, he had to encamp one, If NJ
'ts two nights, in the woods, before reaching III
n, station The poor lad died from tetanus
9, locked Jaw few days after the occurrence
MS 4 few year. ago a sad occurrence took plaC
as on the coast south of Sydney. A vessel hd
se been wrecked somewhere near Iwotod Bay
~ an her passengers and crew had escaped sat
ch " to the shore, and as they had rccOver'
lie some provisions, and had the prospect, after
- few DAYS travelling along the coast, of reac
ul inr a settlement. they were all IN high splrll
D | They had no boats, for all belonging To q
ic- vessel had been destroyed at the time Of Ii
IS. wreck Owing to this wart, they met Oft
ne with great difficulties IN crossing the numero
~ creeks or rivers which fall into the sea IN d
Dat ferent pats of the coast they were proccedl
ice along being often compelled 10 make lo
art circuits to go round these, or 10 reach 81
'cn where they could wade across thcm. All d
for fculties, however, of this nature had M
ed nearly been ~rnouuted they were nst
To from the settlement but one more creek
he maned to cross, and then they would he wi
ale in reach of asst stance aud sympathy from th
red fellow creatures Upon the arrival of
whole party at the boarders of this inlet,
ot usual, ,so of the men, carrying poles IN th
ere hands, entered IT., to ascertain beiOreha
uld whether or not i, was fordabe for the wh
the number And their comrades, seeing the =
off, ncers reach the md lie of the creek wlth'
Ter, the water rising above their waist. prepared
rcs follow IN a body, when suddenly one OF th
guides, utterng a loud shnck, disappear
'rn- hcadlone beneath the surface. Ills comra'
nd Nho was only a iew yards oil, turned his he
Is 10 ascertain the cause but he was lnsian
the seizrd and the agonIzed spectators gazcd
II, unable in the least to aid their unfortunate CO
I'M, panIons, who were beng torn W pieces bed