Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-06-06

sought for fresh prey; they tried at time
, to catch hold of the slippery. broad car
cass of the whale, or swan iazily or sleep
ingly around among the broken fragment
:. of the boat. seizing plank and holding
III for while between their teeth. ant
then pushing it before them with thei
round, spade, shaped upper jaw. Tht
weather, unfortunately, was quiet anC
calm. and the ripping waves, in which
the water rose and sank, washed over Pa,
trick, but not one of the sharks had come
near enough to scent him; and he hoped,
perhaps, that he would be able to hold his
own unassailed until the ship could come
up to save him. or, at least, send its boats.
But where was the-ship? Father of mer-
cy there was no prospect OF release for
a long, long time. For even at the dis
Etance he then was, it could not escape the
sailors practised eye that it was keeping
away from him. The other boats, there.
fore had caught their fish, and With their
booty alongside, would not be able to look
after him. At the same time the sun
burnt hot and scorching upon his fore
head, and his tongue Glove to the roof Of
his mouth. Water l-the limpid waves
bathed his feet. and should he perish of
thirst? He knelt down and washed his
forehead, temples, eyes and lips, IN order
to have slight refreshment, and then he
bound his handkerchief around his hcud
for he had lost his hat at the destruc
ton of the boat-in order to protect it in
some measure from the scorching beams.
Through this movement, however, the at
70 &c - IL, L. l.,
been attracted to him. or else, though sat-
isfed and over satia,ed, it could not resist
its desire for more prey, for just as he
raised his hands, he noticed that one OF
the largest dark fms, which projected
above the water, was swimming in di>
rect line towards him. He had. in fact.
scarcely time to raise himself, and prepare
his weapons Of defence, when tremen-
dous fellow Of some thirteen feet in length,
shot up to him, and tried to turn over on
the back Of the whale and pluck off what
was still upon it. But with the danger,
all the sailors daring courage returned TO
him, and swinging the heavy shaft in one
hand, and holding the rope firmly in the
other, he struck the head Of the monster
such q powerful and we'll directed blow
that the shark, half-stunned, slipped off
the whale and sunk ere it could prepare
for renewal Of hostilities, or perhaps
make up its mind to such serious step.
But other sharks had been attracted by
the noise and splashing. and although they
did not dare an immediate attack on the
bold mortal who ventuIed to Withstand
them in their native element, still they
continually swarmed in narrow circles
around the spot where he was sitting, and
once or twice came so near that Pat gave
them O2e or two hearty blows across the
jaws, to teach them TO be respectful to
him and keep their proper distance. But
the shark is a greedy, obstinate brute, and
even if dangerously wounded, always
turns to any booty it has scented, as long
as it retains the necessary strength. So
it was in this instance. Again and again
the heavy stick was required to teach
them that there was nothing ere for them
to fetch-at least. SO long as the young
Irishman felt himself strong enough to
struggle against hunger and thirst, the
scorching sunbeams, and the constant,
fearful excitement Of his nervous system
in tie tremendous danger that ever sur.
rounded him.
And the ship-no hope Of salvation
thence. Deeper and deeper sank the sun,
and the ship lay to windward, with its
brightly glistening sails. But the beasts
that swan around him became more and
more ravenous. and tried in vain to drive
their teeth through The tough skin Of the
sperm whale; aud when the stars were
lighted, and gradually illuminated the
whole sky. as far as the bright strip which
still lay on the western horizon, he watch
ed the glistening beams shooting athwart
the limpin5 waves, as the sharks swan
restlessly backwards and forwards, and
the peril that beset him grew worse with
the night.
He clearly saw the lights Of his vessel
hung out for him. He even noticed when
it grew dark, the bright bIubber-lamps,
and even the pale light which came from
the stoves of the oil-tryers, and were re-
Aected in The idly tapping sails. But
what avaiIed that TO him? His strength
was fast IeaVin5 him, and his tormentors
left him no rest. The most greedy OF the
brutes, young fish scarcely more than 6
feet in length, once went SO far AS to seize
the harpoon. and held it sufficiently long
to be left half dry upon the sperm BY tb,
retiring wave; but the oak stick struck i
such fearful blow across its treacherous
crafty looking eyes, that the shark glidec
off the slippery whale, turned up his Whit
! stomach, and sunk. But Others took tht
brute's place, and only the gllstenint
streak in the dark water revealed their ap
proach. and warned the unhappy man Il
prepare himself for the renewed attack
Hour after hour thus passed in this fear
ful contest for life; but fresh hope wa
} aroused in him when the ship drew near
er and nearer to him, and the signal gun
clearly and distinctly reached his ear
AZ last he was able TO recognize the form
t on deck. as they moved backwards an