The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-22
evenings prior to his return to citv
duty, caught that sMermaid.'

0nsy, caught thdt 'Mermaid.'
The two sportsmcn having conclu-
ded rather poor days fishing, deter.
mined, on returning, to diverge from
their direct course for the purpose o,
rounding point in Newark Bay, some.
what famous for an excellent bathing
beach, there to luxuriatc, by the light
O. the moon'-which was in it, last
quarter, and nearly down to the horizon
in a glorious swim, as Bob proposed,
'malgrc' his ignorance of that useful
accomplishment. Accordingly, the bath
was indulgcd in, until the waning
Queen of Night was upon the point Of
leaving her throne, when the coming
darkness admonishcd the couple of the
necessity of return. They accordinr.
ly rcgaincd the skif, and having drcs.
scd, lifted the 'kedgc' and pulled for
hcmc, Ned being oarsman and Bob in
charge of the tillcr. They pulled
away in silence for some time, with n
careu stroke, giving the recfa wide
berth, 1t being now qntc dark, and
hug'sslnS the shore as close as possible
10 keep out OF the swiftly running tide
which was ahead. The night dark
very dark-it was impossible to distin-
guish objects two yards distant, and the
voya gers, though satisfied that thew had
rowcd long enough to be close home.
were in doubt as to their precise local..
ty: At Bob's suggestion, Ned ceased
pulling' and rested on his Skulls with
view to an 'observation.' After
looking vainly some time, he was about
to resume his labor whcn-
'Wh-i.s-ht-sh.sh!' says Bob, shold on
Ned, what the deuce is that?'
NWEat!'
'Sh-sh, bark, here, on your left
where? | don see anything
'Hnsh-sh-sh, keep dark back
watcr!'
Back it is says Ned.
'llark, again'--and now Ned's ear
was rcgalcd with sound like that of some
one snppressing or suftocating an incli
nation to laugh, and pcering into tho
darkness he discovered what he at first
supposed to be a large stake. Closer
scrutiny invested it with something of a
human appearance.
What th-e-d-c-v-i,l s it?' gasped
out Ned, now as much excited as his
mcrcurial companion Again they fan.
cicd they heard the tittering sound.
BY thundcr!' exclaimed Bob
whose very thoughts were Of risciv-
crous characteristic S a Mcrma:d!'
Still, whatever it was, it remained
motiorless. The boat had drifted from
the object of wonder some five or six
yards, when Bob,-whosc hand seized
upon the body Of clam, intended for
bait, which lay on tic skiff's bottom,--|
standing up in the skif, vowed he'd
know, and before his partner could pre-
vent, hurled with all force the said clam
at the said Mermaid The precision
of his aim was cvinccd by sspl-i.shy'
sort Of sound, as of two heshy substan-
ces in collision; whcreupon faint shrek
went mp from the 'crttcr,' and at the
same moment Ned was made sensible
of some Invisible misfortune 10 Bob,
who was by some unseen agency, VIC
lcntly pulled over backwards into the
water.
Ned! Ned. pull-pull- -for-s-l.a.s-h
God s-su -glc--g -glc--sur.g gle
splash oh!-Mur.d-c-r, Ned! splash
sousc, gurgl.ss-gg-y'c, & s.p.i-sh sh, s-p-ash.
murder, d-mn- tn shrickcd Bob, =
who had never used such an cxclama-
ton in his life, before. c.--'Who--ar We?
what-oh-oh-sp-i-s.h sousc-gur- gig
slc-ggu-Ss-glethe 8 Devil! Ned, oh! Ned
shouted he with all his strength, as
momcntary respite was afforded him, as
he came up at intervals from under the
water, beneath the surface of which
somc three or four Of the most Amazo-
nlan of the Mermaids were laughinyly
engaged i'll thrustiny him. Where was
Ned, III the skiIf? not by a jug full, the
skltf was bottom upwards. Ned was in
deep water where the water nymphs
didn't like to venture.
At the first alarm. Ned had tried
his oars, but the sklfwas fast: he'd pull
with might and main but some invnsi-
bic power held him, and at every pull
the skiif would rebound towards shore.
And now Ned could distinguish some
four or five human looking creatures of
gigantic size Gas they appeared to him)
holding on to the stern of the boat, he
was III the hands Of the Phlissincs. his
position was defined! and he knew it;
he'd seen the elephant Ned!
he'd been there bctore.
II was but a moments work to snrinn