The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-01-09
THE aUNNER's sHOT.
a THRILLING STORY OF FACT.

Our noble snip lay atanohof ~ the bay
Of Tangler. fortified town In tho eK-
treme nOrth-west Of Africa. The day
had been extremely mild. with a gentle
breeze sweeping to the north-Ward and
westward, out towards the close Of the
afternoon, the sea-broezes died away. and
one Of those sultry, oven ike slmos-
pherio brea,hings came from the great
sun burnt Sahara. Half an hour before
sundown, the captain gave the order to
the boatswain to call the hands to 70 in
swimming, and In less than Eve minutes
the forms Of our tars we're seen leaping
from The gangways. the ports, the retl-
ings, bowsprit, aud some Of the ventur-
some took their leaps from the arms Of
the lower yard One Of the studding
sails had been lowered into the waters,
with its corners suspended from the main
yard arm and the swinging boom, aud 10
TO this the swimmers made their way.
Among those, who seemed 10 be en-
joying the sport most heartily, were two
of the boys, Tim Wallace and Fred Fair.
banks, the latter Of whom was the son Of
our old gunner, and in laughing mood.
they started out from the scuddiug sail
on race. There was loud ringing
shout Of JOY on their lips as the put OIL,
aud they started through tho water hike
fishes. The surface Of the sea was As
smooth as glass. though It's bosom rose
in long and heavy swells that set in from
the Atlantic. Ths vessel wss moored
with long sweep from both cables, and
the buoy on the starboArd anchors was
far away on the starboard quarter. where
il rose and fell with the sWells like a
drunken man.
Towards the buoy the lads made
their way, Fred Fairbanks taking the lead
but when they were within twenty or
thirty fathoms of the buoy, Tim shot a.
head and promised to win the race. The
old gunner watched the progress Of his
son with vast deal Of pride, and when
he saw him drop behind, he leaped upon
the poop, and was on the point Of urging
him on by shout, when a cry reached
him, which made him start as Il he had
been struck by cannon ball.
"A shark n sharkl came from the cap.
tain at the lorecastle, and at the sound OF
the terrible words, the men who were in
the water, leaped and plunged towards
the ship.
Right abeam, at the distance Of three
or four cables length, shark 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 bereft of sense, but on the
peKt he shouted at the top Of his voice
for the boys to run, but the little fellows
heard him not Stoutly the two swimm-
ers strove for the goal, all unconscious Of
the fearful death spirit that hovered so
near them. Their merry laugh still rang
out over the waters, and at length they
both touched the buoy together.
Oil what drops Of agony started from
the brow Of our old gunner. A boat had
put off, but Fairbanks knew that il
could not reach them in season, and eve
ry moment he expected to see the mon
ster sink from sight, and then he knew
all hope would be gone.
Az that moment a cry reached the ship
that went through every heart like n
stream Of fre--the boys bad discovered
their enemy The cry started old Fair
banks to his senses, and quicker than
thought he sprang to the quarter-deck.-
The guns were all loaded and shotted
fore and aft, and none knew their temper
better than he. With q steady hand,
made strong by sudden hope, thu old
gunner seized printing wire and and
picked the cartridge Of one Of the quar-
ter.guns--then he took from his pocket
percussion wafer, and set it in its place,
and set back the hammer Of the patent
lock. With steady, giant strength, the
old man swayed the breech Of his heavy
gun to it's bearing, and then, seiEing the
string lock. he stood back and watched
for the next swell that would bring the
shark in range He had aimed the place
some distance Of his mark, but yet a sim
gle moment would settle his hopes and
leaTs.
Every breath was hushed. and every
heart in that old ship beat painfully. The
boat WAS yet some distance from the boys
whilst the horrible sea monster was fear
fully near Suddenly, the air was awoke
by The roar u heavy gun, and as the
Olu man knew hlb blVA was BVhot ho hNhA
back on the combiug Of the hatch, and
covered his face with his hands, as IL a
fraid to see the result Of his efforts. for il
he had failed he knew that the boy was
lost.
For moment after the report Of the
gun had died away upon the air, there
was dead silence, but as the smoke a.
rose from the surface Of the water, there
was at 6rst low murmur breaking from
the lips Of the men; that murmur grew
louder and stronger. until il sWelled 70 a
Joyous and deafening shout. The old
gunner sprang to his feet aud gaEed out
upon the water, and Tie first thing that
met his view was the huge carcass Of the
shark. floating with his belly mp. man
gled mass. o a .aH
10 few moments the boat reache
! Ne daring swimmers. and, half dead