New Orleans daily crescent., 1859-05-09


invisible from the same cause The sea was rising
fst the wind blowing perfect hurricane, aud worse
than all, they were drifting with full forcs OF wind
and tide into the Caribbean SEA once there out OF
Such bsinR the state Of things many hopes were
expressed that the ahp wosd send boa in search Of
them Comfortable gnggesticns. but With too little
plan, which nothing but the desperate emergency
Of the case could have suggested. It was to attempt
TO swim ashore The land was about thrse miles
nom them; they were both nrst-rate swimmers, and
tempted il on calm DAY without much fear Of fail.
ure; but In heavy sea the case was different, and
both wind and tide, though not dead against them,
combined to sweep them down under tho lee Of the
i1land. Above all, the place swarmed with sharks,
Nothing daunted, however, these two brave fellows
stripped TO the skin, and after short goodbye and
hurried exhortation TO the big ones to hold the lit
tie ones on and all to keep up their pluck, they
leaped into the sea
They had both resolved to stick to one another Al
long y they lasted, both for mutual encouragement
and a. some sort Of protection against the much
dreaded sharks. For nearly an hour they swan on,
sometimes lying on their backs BE- to rsst, sometimes
though much fatgued, they had seen no sharks and
they were encouraged by Z glimpse, through break
In the gale, Of the land it rose dark and forbiddng
above its white fringe Of breakers. But all at once
without moments notice, they were surrounded on
all sides by black fns. An exclamation Of despair
forced itself from them ct this sight, and both waited
in agony Of suspense for the moments of pain which
were to end their existence still they mechanically
SWAN on, and the sharks, to their SURPRISE although
playing oil around them, did not touch them. They
made continual short rushes at them, and when the
poor fellows closed their eyes in all the agony Of DEATH
passed by them, or turning on their backs they would
open their monstrous jaws and close their teeth with
loud clash within few inches of their victims body
One Of these said afterwards that be felt at times
like mouse in the power Of cat that plays with the
poor wretch before she makes her supper of it,
Still, however, they swan on, the thunder roaring,
the lightning flashing above them, struggling against
heavy sea, terrific wind, and strong tide, tired and
exhausted, with these horrid monsters swimming
round them. One often reads Of nights Of terror
that turn mans hair gray. Many of these may be
considered peaceful when compared with the horrors
Of that five hours swim. At last however, they
succeeded in nearing the extreme end Of the island
the sharks one by one left them The last, however,
made farewell plunge at the lad nearest him and
though he missed him with his teeth, struck him
violent blow in the stomach with his strong tail.
The poor fellow called out and his companion, who
was swimming few yards in advance, though thor.
oughy exhausted returned to his friends assistance.
He supported him until he recovered sufficiently to
proceed and at last they once more touched the firm
ground. They struggled up the beach, and lay down
for few minutes utterly worn out but the thought
Of their comrades clinging to that upturned boat
reused them to fresh exertons. After staggering on
for about half mile in the direction of some houses
they met number Of negroes, who, as our heroes
were entirely naked, attacked them with stones, and
they would n all probability, have fallen victims to
this "nigger" sense Of decency, had not an officer
fortunately passed by at the moment and recognized
them.
In few minutes their story was told, and prompt
measures were adopted to rescue the remainder of
the party. Boats were quickly launched under the
lee Of the Island !; and the two mates, although
nearly dead from exhaustion, persisted in embarking
in them. The danger was not yet over, for the sea
was running mountains high the gale had little
abated, and the night was coming on fast. After
long and hard pull, nothing could be seen of the miss
ing ones. II had become quite dark, and they were
beginning to despair. One boat had already turned
towards the shore, when by the light Of vivid flash,
they saw on the crest Of huge black wave the dis
mantled boat with its knot Of half.drowned boys
They soon pulled up to it, and found to their great
JOY the number complete. They too, had begun to
despair; had feared their two brave comrades had
perished were wearied and hafsufocated by the
constant seas that we're continually breaking over
them and some were talking Of loosing their hold
when the timely relief arrived.
On reaching the shore, the two brave mates gave
in. The reaction which followed their exertions and
tim to his heroism the other lived but his health
was seriously injured and his powers Of mind affected
by all that be had gone through for months after
wards be would start up in his bed with shrek of
terror as he saw, in all the vivid reality Of dreamand
those monstrous sharks garng at him. and heard the
gnash of their sharp teeth.
This wonderful escape can only be accounted for by
the fact that the spot where they landed was the site
Of the slaughter house for the troops and that the
sharks were go sated with the oal thrown into the
sea at that time, that the unusual delicacy Of
white man" could not tempt them. IT, however, only
. few drops Of blood had tinged the water the case
would have been very different; for sharks, like beasts
Of prey are aroused to fury at the sight Of it, and in
The condition of these two poor fellows, the slightest
scratch would have been instantly fatal to them.