Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-05-27
Incident OF ocean Life.

had been extremely mild, with gentle
breeze sweeping to the north-w ant
westward; but along toward the close
of the afternoon the sea breeze dice
away, and one of those sultry, evenlike
atmospheric breafhiags came from the
great sunburnt Sahara. Half all houl
before sundown ths captain gave the
cheering order for tln boatswain to cal
the hands to go in swimming, and in less
than five minutes the forms of our tars
were seen leaping from the lower yard.
One Of the studdihg sails had been
lowered into the water, with its corners
suspended from the.main yard arm and
the swinging boom, and into these most
oltbn winners made their way. Among
thos> who seemed to be enjoying the
sport most heartily were two of the boys,
Tim Wallace and Erred Fairbanks, the
latter of whom was! the son of our old
gunner; and in a laughing mood they
started out from the studding sail on a
race.
There was a loud ringing shout of joy
on their lips as they 9darted through the
water like fishes The surface Of the
sea was as smooth rs glass, though its
bosom rose in long heavy swells from
the Atlantic.
The vessel was i1oored with a long
sweep from both cables and the buoy on
the star-board quartet, where it rose and
fell with the lazy swell like a drunken
man. Towards this buoy the two lads
made their way, Frea Fairbanks taking
the lead; but when 'they were within
about twenty or thirty fathoms of the
buoy, Tim shot ahead and promised to
win the race. 1he3old gunner watched
the progress with aRast degree Of pride,
and when he saw lin drop behind, he
leaped from the pooh, and was upon The
point of urging him ion by "a shout, when
a cry reached his esF that made him start
as if he had been stuck with cannon
ball.
A shark! sbar! came forth from
the captain Of tho firecaslle, and, at the
sound of these terrific words, the men.
who were in the vat leapeds and plung.ii
e4e iiistilHEg 81
length, Il sharp wake was seen in the
water, where the back of the monster
was visible. His course was for the
boys.
For moment the gunner stood like
one berpft OF sense, but on the next he
shouted at the top Of his voice for the
boys TO turn, but the little fellows heard
him not-stoutly the swimmers strove for
the goal, all unconscious Of the bloody
death spirit that lowered so near them.
Their merry laugh still rang over the
water, and at length they touched the
buoy together.
Oh, what drops of agony started from
the brow of our gunner. 4 boat had
put off, but Fairbanks knew that it could
not reach the boys in season, and every
moment he expected to see the monster
sink from sight; then he knew that all
hope would be gone. A, this moment Il
cry reached the ship that went through
every heart like stream Of fre-the
boys had discovered their enemy.
The cry started old Fairbanks to his
senses, and quicker than thought he
sprang to the quarterback. The guns
were all loaded and shotted fore and aft,
and none knew their temper better than he.
With steady hand, made strong by a
sudden hope, the old gunner seized a
printing wire, and picked the cartridge of
one of the quarter guns; he took from
his pocket percussion wafer, and set it
in its place, and set the hammer of the
patent lock. With giants strength the
old man swayed the breech of the heavy
gun in its bearing, and then Selling the
string of the lock, he stood back and
watched for the next swell that would
bring the shark in range. He had aimed
the piece some distance ahead of his
mark, but yet little moment would set.
tie Ills nOpeS anu iears.
Every breath was hushed, and every
heart in that old ship beat painfully. The
boat was yet some distance from the
boys, while the horrid sea monster was
fearfully near. Suddenly the air awoke
by the roar of the heavy gun, and as the
old man knew his shot was gone, he sank
back upon the combing of the hatch, and
covering his face with his hands, as if
afraid to see the result of his own efforts,
for if he had failed he knew that his boy
was lost.
For moment after the report of the
gun had died away upon the air, there
was dead silence, but as the dense
smoke arose from the surface of the
water, there was, at first, low murmur
breaking from the lips Of the men-that
murmur grew louder and stronger, until
it swclled to a joyous, deafning shout.
The old gunner sprung to his feet and
gazcd off on tile water, and the first
thing that met his view was the huge
carcass of the shark floating with his
white belly up, mangled, lifeless mass.
In few moments the boat reached the
daring swimmers, and half dead with
fright they were brought on board. The
The old man clasped his boy in his arms,
and then, overcome by the powerful ex.