The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1860-06-01
Misfella
TIE SHARK ADVENTURE Ar THE
PEARL FISHERV,l


wing. awe, means my wife, myself and our
iittle. daughter, who was nestled in the arms of
''ayad, or colored nurse. Il was one Of those
tropical mornings the glory of whichis indescri.
5abie. The sea was Sd transparent that the
boat in which We lay, shielding US from the sun
oy awning, seemed to hang suspended in the
ar The TUFTS Of pink and white coral, that
su.l5ed The bed OF the ocean beneath, We're as
dISinct as il they were growing at our feet
We seemed to be gazing upon beautiful par
terre variegated candy tuft. The shores,
fringed with palms aud patches of a gigantic
species Of cactus, which was then in bloom,
were as still aud serene as il they had been
painted on glass INDEED, the whole landscape
locked Ike beautiful scene beheId through a
giorted telescope. Eminenty real, as far as
detail went, but still and motionless as death.
Nothing broke the silence save the occasional
plunge OF the divers into the water, or the noise
OF the large oysters falling into. the bottom OF
the boats. In the distance, on a small, narrow
point OF land, strange crowd ofhuman beings
were visible. Oriental pearl merchants, Fa-
keers, selling amulets, Brahmins in their dirty
white robes all attracted TO the spot by the pros
pect OF gain las fish collect around a handful
OF bait flung into pond) bargaining, cheating,
and strangely mingIing religion aud lucre.-
sly wife and lay back on the cushions that
lined The atterpart OF our little skIf, anguidly
gazing on the sea and the sky by turns. Sud-
denly our attention was aroused by vey great
shout, which was followed by volIeys of shriIl
cries from The pearl fishing boats On turning
IN that direction the greatest excitement was
visible among the different crews. Hands
were pointed. White teeth glittered in the
sun, and every dusky. form was gesticulatng
violently. The two or three negroes seized
some long poles and commenced beating the
water violently. Others flung gourds and
calabashes, and old pieces of wood aud stones
IN the direction of a particular spot that Law
between the nearest fishing boat and ourselves
The only thing visible in this spot was black
sharp blade, thin as the blade of penkrfe,
that appeared slowly and evenly cutting through
TIE still water. No surgical instrument ever
gIded through human flesh with a more silent,
cruel calm. 1t needed not the cry OF ssshark
STARK - to tell US what it was. In a moment
we bad vivid picture Of that unseen monster,
With is small walchfal eyes, and his huge
mouth, With It's double row of fangs, presented
before our mental vision. There were three
divers under the water at this moment, while
directly above them hung suspended this re-
norseless incarnation of death. NV wife clLs-
ped my hand convulsively, and became deathlv
pale. stretched out the other hand instinct
vety- and grasped a revolver which lay be-
SIDE me. was in the act Of cooking it when
shrek OF unutterable agony from the arah burst
on our ears. turned my head quick as a
flash of ofligbtnIng, and beheId her, with empty
arms, hanging over the gunwala OF the boat,
while down in the calm sea | saw tiny little
face swathed in white, sinking slnking-sn-
king-slnklng What words can paint such
crisis [ was reused from trance OF anguish
by the nittlng of q dark, form through the clear
water, cleaving its way swiftly toward that
darling little shape that grew DINNER and dim
mer every second, as 1t settled in the sea. We
all saw it, and the same thought struck Us all.
That terrible, deadly black fin was the key of
our sudden terror. The shark A simultaneous
shrek burst from our lips. | tried to jump
overheard, bat was withheld by some one, little
use had / done oIfor could not swim a stroke
The dark shape glided on like a flash of light
nlng. II reached our treasure. IL an instant
all we loved on earth was blolted out from our
sight My heart stood still my breath ceased
life tremblrd on my l!Ps. The next moment
dusky head shot out OF the water close TO our
duaky head whose parted lips gasped for
breath, but whose eyes shone with the bright
ness Of superhuman joYN The second after swo
iawny hands held a dripping white form above
the water, and dark head shouted to the boat
man. Another second, and the brave pearl-di-
yer had clambered in, and laid my little daugh-
Ter at her mothers feet. This was the shark
THIS the man-eater. This the hero in sun-bur-
ned hide, who, with his quick aquatic sight, had
seen our dear one sinking through the sea, and
had brought her up to Us again, pale and drip
ping, but still alive. What tears and laughter
fell on us three by turns as we named our gem
rescued from the ocean, Little Pearl ~
CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.