Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-07-09
A Thrilling Scene.

II
\ ing 70 the northward and westward, but
toward the close of the afternoon the sea
/ breeze died away and one of those sultry,
oven-like atmospheric breathings came from
the great sunburnt Sahara. Half an hour
! before sundown the captain gave the order
/ to the boatswaiD to call the hands to 60 in
sw inning, and in less than Eve minutes
the forms Of cur tars were seen leaping
from the gangways, the ports. the nettings.
! bowsprit, and some of the more venturesome
! took their leap from the arms of the lower
4 yard. One of the studding sails bad been
/ lowered into the water, with its corners
suspended from the main yard and swinging
i boom, an6 into this the swimmers made
their wsy.
i Among those who seemed to be enjoying
the sport most heartily, were two boys, Tim
Wallace and Fred Fairbanks, the latter of
whom was the son of our old gunner, and
in laughing mood they started out from
the studding sail on race. There was a
loud ringing shout of joy on their lips as
they put of, and they started through the
water like fishes. The surface of the sea
was as smooth as glass, though its bosom
| rose in long and heavy waves, that set in
! from the Atlantic The vessel was moored
with long sweep from both cables, and
buoy on the starbord anchor was far away
on the starboard quarter, where it rose and
fell with the swells like drunken man.
Toward the buoy the lads made their way,
Fred Fairbanks taking the lead. When
they were within twenty or thirty fathoms
of the buoy, Tim shot ahead, and promised
to win the race. The old gunner watched
the progress of his son with a 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 b. a shout, when a
cry reached him that made him start as if
he had been struck by cannon ball.
"a shark! shark" came from the cap
tain at the forecas,le, and at the sound of
the terrible words the men who were in the
water leaped and plunged toward the ship.
Right abeam, at the distance of :hree or
four cables length, a sharks wake was
seen in the water, where the back OF the
monster was visible. His course was for
the boys. For a moment the gunner stood
like one bereft 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 two swimmers 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.
oh! what drops of agony started from the
brow o our old gunner. A boat had put
off, but Fairbanks knew that it could not
reach them in season, and expected every
moment to see the monster sink from sight,
and then he knew that all hope would be
gone. At that moment cry reached the
ship that went through every heart like q
stream of fre-the boys had discovered their
enemy.
1 The cry started old Fairbanks 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 a
steady hand, made strong by sudden hope,
the old man gunner seized priming wire
and picked the cartridge of one of the 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 a
steady, giant strength, the old man swayed
the breech of his heavy gun to its bearing,
and then seizing the string 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 its
mark, but yet some moments would settie
his hopes and fears.
Every breath was hushed, and every heart
in that old ship beat painfully. The boat
was vet some distance from the boys, while
the horrible sea monster was fearfully ne ar.
Suddenly the air was awoke by the roar of
a heavy gun, and as the old man knew his
shot was gone he sank back upon the comb
ling of the hatch, and covered his face with
his hands, as if afraid to see the result OF
his efforts, for if he had failed he knew his
boy was lost.
For a moment after the report of the gun
had died away upon the air there was dead
silence. but as the smoke arose from the
surface OF the water there was at first q low
murmur breaking from the lips of the men;
that murmur grew louler and stronger, un-
til it it swelled to joyous deafening shout
The old gunner sprang to his feet and gaze3
out upon the water, and the first thing that
met his view was the huge carcass of the
, shark, floating with its belly up, mangled
carcass.
! In a few moments the boat reached the
daring swimmers, and half dead with fright
they were brought on board. The old mar
clasped his boy in his arms, and then over
r come by the powerful excitement he leaned
, upon the gun for support. | have seen mel
(; IN all the phases of excitement andsuspense
. but never have seen three hundred human
beings more overcome by thrilling emotions
, than on that eventful moment when the,
first knew the effect of the gunner'a shct