The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1852-04-21
rNcTpENr or ocE ,N IIrE.

al Tzugirr. q fari6ed Town ia The ex-
lrrmr northwest Of AIrirz. The day iI.d
been ex remeIy mild. w'lh genile brerre
sweeping ls lIsr nsslhwani and westward;
hui sIonr towards she rio-e Of ibe ziler-
noon the SRA bfrfzr Llrd away. and one
of lio-e sullry. essnlIke simo-phe'ic res-
things r~ne from The great sun burnt Sa.
hars. Hall an hnui beIars sundown lIlc
rapIain gave ihe rhrrring order FOR The
baalsw.in 20 ralI .he hands 20 GO in swim
ming. aud IN les lhsn Eve minnIrs the
fHms of our lars we're srrn lraping from
the arns Of the lower yard.
One Of The siaddlng sails had been
lowered inin ihs wafer. with il cornrrs
suspended from the nam ya.d arm and
the swinging boon. and in,n these most
of ihe swimmers made ,heir way. Among
iho-e who seemed Ia be enjoying The sperl
most heartily werr two 1t iie boys. Tim
waIlase aud Fred Fairbanks. the latter of
whom was The fon Of our old gunner |;
and in laughing moodilley started oul
from ,he siuddins sail an race. \,
There was loud ringing shout Of joy
on ll,rir lips a. they put of, and they
dsried through The water like fishes. The
snrfare of The sea was rs smooth rs glass,
though lis bnsum rose ia long heavy
swells that sci in frnm The Atlantic.
The vessel was mooIrd with long
sweep from both cables. and the buoy ON
The sisrhoard quarter. where il rose aud
frll with The lazy swelIs ike drunken
man. -
Towards this buoy The two lads made
their way. Fred Fairbanks taking the
lead; b.i when they wer. within about
twenty or ihiriy falhoms uf The buoy.
Tim shot ahead and promised 10 win The
race. The old gunner watched the pro.
gress of his son with vast degree oI
pride, aud when he saw him drop behind ;
he leaped ffcm The poop, and WAS upon
the point of n,ging him an By shout,
when a cry rearhed his car iha, made
him start as If he had been struck with q
cannon ball.
A shark shark came iorili from
the rapiain of the .forerasilr. aud ~ the
sound of these terrible words, the mer
who were N the water leaped aud plung.
ed towards the ship.
Righ. abeam, NJ a distance Of three o.
fonr cables length. sharp wake wa
seen in water. where the back Of th,
monster was visible. HIS course was 70
the boys.
| For moment the gunner stood lik'
one hereli of sense, but ON the next h
shouted al the top If his vince for lh'
boys TO Turn, but The lirIe fellows hear
him noi--s,nu,ly The swimmers slrove "a
thc goal. all unconscious of the blood,
deslh-spiril that hovered SO near them
Their merry laugh slill rang over lh'
water. aud al lenglll they touched ih'
buoy together.
4 Oh, what drops Of agony started iron
the brow of our gunner. A boat had pu
of. hut Fairbanks knew that ]. could nc
reach the boys in season. and every mo
mem he expected 10 see the monster sin
from sight; then he knew that all hop
would be gone. A, this moment a cr
. reached the ship that went through ever
heart like stream Of fire-ihe boys la
discovered their enemy.
The cry starred old Fairbanks TO hi
, senses, and quicker than thought b
. sprang 10 The quarter. deck. The gun
were all loaded aud sho,ied fore aud al
and none knew their temper be,ler tha
) he. With steady hand, strung by a s"t
I. den h,pe, the old gunner seized 4 prin
ing wire, and picked the cartridge of OF
! Of the quarter guns; he took from b
e pocket percussion wafer and set il IN
: place, and sci the hammer of the pate
j. lock. With giant's strength The Q
d man swayed the bree.h Of the heavy q
!, to its bearing. aud then seizing the siri
l. of the lock, he stood back and watch
{. for The next swell tia, would bring I
!; shark in range. lie had aimed the pie
:, some distance ahead Of his mark, but J
re a little moment would settle his hoT
ID and fears.
1. Every breath was hushed. and eve
b. heat in that old ship 6ea, painfully. j
u, boat was yet some distance from
e, boys. while the horid sea monster v
e, fea,fully near. Suddenly the air awe
Al, by the roar of the heavy gun. and as
" old man knew his shot was gone, he 8;
c back upon The combing of The hatch !
covered his lace with his hands. for if
had failed he knew that his boy was L
on For moment AFTER the report Of
'rd gun had died away upon the air. III
70 was dead silence. hut as the de
e. smoke arose from the surface Of the
ch ter, there was. al FIRST, low muir
~. breaking from the lips Of The men-
ng murmnr grew louder and stronger. u
al. it swelled TO a joyous. dealening sh
ck The old gunner sprung 10 his feet and
sy ed of on the water, and the FIRST u
lip. that met his view was the huge carcas
siy the shark aoaiiug with his white belly
%. q msnglesl. liffless mass.
IN In q few moments the boat reached
daring swimmers, aud half dead
frigh. they were brought on board.
Of old man clasped his boy in his arms.
then overcome hy the powerful ex