Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-03-10
gact and falltll.
A Chip from a Sailors I,oa.,

head how and where she liked.
The heat was intense, so much SO
that the chief mate had told the t
boatswain to keep the watch out OF
the sun; but tile watch below 10 und
il too warm to sleep, and were tor |
mented with thirst which they could |
not crafty ill the WATERWAYS served |
out. They had drank all the pre-
yions days all owance, and now that |
The scuttle-bult was dry, there was
nothing left but endurance. S ome
of the seamep were congregated on
the top-gallalt foresail. and gazed
on the blue clear water with longing
eyes.
GLOW cool and clear it looks"
said tall and powerful young sea-
man; 81 don't think there arel many
sharks about what do you Say for
bath, lads:?''
Chat for d shark burst stimuli
taneously from the parched lips Of
the group
"We'Il ha We a jolly time Of it
when tie second mate goes 70 din
ner.''
In about half an hour the dinner
Dell rang. L lie boalswain now took
!. Ia
dllarge Of the deck; some twenty
sailors were now stripped, except
pair of light duck trousers; among
the rest was a powerful coast OF
Africa negro, of the name Of Leigh;
we used to joke and call him Salnb
"You no swim to-day, Nddfi
said he addressing me- Feared
sharks, ch? Shark neber bite me.
Spbse | meet shark in water, |
So i'm arter INN, he run like dc
debbiI-"
was tempted, aud like the rest,
was soon Ready.
In quick succession we jumped
off the sprit-salI yard, the black
leading. We had scarcely been in
the waiter FIVE minutes, " hen some
one aboat I'd cried out, "a shark. a
sharkp1 In an. instant ey efy one
came ID milling up the sIli p's side
half ma y with fright, the gallant
black among the rest. Ii was {
false.alal ln. We felt Cry viii
ourselves for being frightene d, angry
| with tho$e who frightfnet IFS, ant
f furious Yvltb those who laughed a
us. III Another moment, we were
: all again the water; the Ill ak aue
! myself swimming some distance
5 FROM the ship. For two successive
i, voyages there had been a sort o
rivalry between us; each fancyine
that he was the best swimmer, ant
{ We were DOW testing our. speed.
t "W ell done, Ned cried some o
e The sailors from the forecasile.-
a $50 it, SAM cried some others
1--WE were both straining our utmost
t excited by the cheers Of our re
n spectiye Partizans. So ddeply tht
voice of the boatswain was shout
J; ing, "A shark! shark come bacl
f, quick, Cor Gods saker,'
{ Lay aft the lower catter,'' the
: came distinctly ON our ears. Th
: race instantly ceased. As yet "
e only hall believed what we heard
ouf recent fright being still in on
: memdlies.
swim, for God $ sakel' cried III
captain, who was now on deck, 'sh
G has mol SEEM you. Strike out, 70
!, Gods sakt!"
My heart stood still; | felt weak
d er than child, as | gazed with hon
n ror al the dorsal fin of large sharI
c on the star board quarter. Thong
7 in the water, the perspiratio
L dropped from me like r ain; til
6 black was striking out like mad 70
0 the ship
: Swim, Ned, swim!' cried seve
e raj voices; they neve + take blacl
n when they can get white
Ibid swim, and that desperately
# the water foamed past me. | 500
: breasted the black, but could nc
g head him. We both strained ever
nerve to be first, for we each fan
;, cied the last man would be taken
|, Yet we scarcely seemed to move
the ship appeared as far as eve
/, from us. We were both pow erlu
e swimmers, aud both OF US swan il
e the French way, called Ella 5rass0
Nor hand over hand in English.
e There was something the matte
). with the boat-ialls, and they couI'
S not IowfrIher.
IT, Gle sees you now" was shouted
II be is after your
eli Oh! the agony of the moment
| thought of everything at the same
: instant; at least, SO ID seemed to M
r then. Scenes long forgotten rushed