New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-04-22
An Incident Of Ocean Life.

A. = g.. i.,- Z iI+f
Our noble ship Ian American man.ofwar) lay at anchor
in the Bay Of Taugicr fortified town in the extreme
Of Africa nearly opposite Gibraltar The day
to the northward and westward but along toward the
close of the afternoon the seabreeze died away and
Of those sultry. ovenike atmospheric breathngs
from the great sun-burnt Sahara Half hour before
sn-dOwn the captain gave the cheering order for the
boatswain to call the hands to in swimming and In
less than five minutes the forms Of tars were seen
lcaping from the arms Of the lower yards
One Of the sudding sails had been lowered into the
water with The suspended from the main yard
arm and the swinging boom and into this most of the
swimmers made their way Among those who seemed to
be enjoying the sport most heartily were two Of the boys
the of old gunner. Ind in laughing mood they
started out from the studding sail on a race
There loud ringing shout Of joy their lips ns
they put off and they darted through the water like
fishes The surface Of the smooth az glass though
its bosom rose in long heavy swe that set in from the
Atlantic.
The vessel was moored with long sweep from both
cables and the buoy of the starboard anchor far
away the starboard quarter where 1t and fell with
the lazy swells like drunken man
Towards this buoy the two lads made their way Fred
Fairbanks taking the lead but when they within
twenty or thirty fahoms of the buoy Tim shot ahead
and promised to win the The old gunner watched
the progress of his little with vast degree pride
and when he him drop behind he leaped upon the
poop, and was just the point of urging him by
shout when cry reached his that made him start
if he had been struck with cannon ball.
A shark shark. - forth from the captain of
the forecaste and at the sound of these terrible words
the who in the water leaped and plunged toward
the ship.
Right abeam at the distance of three four cables
lengths sharks wake in the water. where the
back of the monster visible His for the
boys.
For moment the gunner stood like bereft of sense
but on the next he shouted at the top of his voice for
boys to but the little fellows heard him not stoutly
the two swimmers strovc for the goal all unconscious
the death-sprt that lowered them Their merry
laugh still rang over the waters and at length they both
touched the buoy together,
O. what drops of agony started from the brow of our
gunner. boat had put off but Fairbanks knew that it
could not reach the boys in and every moment he
expected to the monster sink from sight-hen he
knew that all hope would be gone At this moment cry
reached the ship that went through every heart like
stream Of rethe boys had discovered their enemy The
cry started old Fairbanks to his and quicker than
thought he sprang to the quarter deck The guns
all loaded and shoted fore and aft and knew their
temper better than he With steady hand made strong
by sudden hope the old gunner seized printing wire
and picked the cartridge of of the quarter guns
then he took from his pocket percussion wafer and set
it in its place and set buck the hammer of the patent
lock. With giant strength the old swayed the
breech of the heavy gun to its bearing and then sezng
the string Of the lock- he stood back and watched
next swell that would bring the shark in range He had
the piece some distance ahead of his mark but yet
little moment would settle his hopes and Every
breath hushed and every heart in thai old ship
painfully. The boat was yet some distance from the
boys while the horrid monster fearfuly near
Suddenly the air awokc by the of the heavy
gun and the old man knew his shot gone he sank
back upon the combing of the hatch and covered his
face with his hands if afraid to the result of
efforts for If he had failed he knew that his boy
lost
fOr moment aILer tne report OF Lne gun mad uled
away upon the air. there dead silence; but the
dense smoke from the surface of the water there
at first low breaking from the lips of the
men; that murmur grew louder and stronger till ii
sweed to joyous dcafening shout. The old gunner
prang to his feet and gazcd off the water the first
thing that met his view the huge carcass of the
shark floating with his white belly up, manglcd eess
mass.
In few moments the boat reached the daring swim,
mers. and half dead with fright they brought on
board The old caspcd his boy in his arms. and
then. by the powerful excitement, he leaned
upon gun for support.
have seen men in all phases of excitement and sus
pcnse, but have three human beings more
overcome by thrilling emotions than that startling
moment when they first knew the effect Of gunner,
shot