Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-12-07
ELLSWORTH, MAINE, FRIDAY, DECEMBER ?, 1866

| doctor was uumD Tor tho tme-starlng AZ
ter the two heroes; for heroes they were,
if there are such things at ALL first their
heads were lost in the darkness ; then the
white foam made by their feet; and know
ing. as we did, the dangers that surround
ed them, when we lost sight of that.th hope
that they could ever reach the shore seem
ed to mix with the darkness, and to be lost
as well. ltis a terribly painful thing to
have to remain inactive while others arc in
curing great danger; to feel tlla' you can
not raise finger to help them, howeve:
desperate their position. l don't know
that ever passed a more wretched time
than | did after Jones and knapton had
got beyond our sight. AsI sat shivering
on that dismal boat, thinking of those two
fellows swimming along in the midst Of per-
ills which they had no power to avoid.
there came into my mind scene from an
old book which had not read since was
achild, in which a man had to pass in the
dead of night through a valley set every
where with snarcs and pitfalls, which in
the darkness he could not see, but still
was forced to go walking blindIy on. con
sciousi that at any moment he might step
into absolute destruction.
But Jones and the midshipman were
swimming steadily all the while; for some
time almost side by side their faces set
for the shore, and their thoughts dwelling
as little as possible upon what might at
any moment happen down below. Some
men-I among them-have horror OF
touching any thing under water; and am
certain that if had been either OF those
fellows, the very knowledge that every
kick gave might send my foot against a
shark. who would suip off my leg in a
twlnkling, would have acted like the touch
of the electrical eel upon me, and depriv-
ed my muscles of all power of motion 1t
did not operate SO with them, however.
fhc apprehension of danger only made
them more active IN trying to escape from
1t, and for about three quarters of mile
we could not see them, of course, but,
as You may Imagine, We had every single
incident related to us afterwarls-thry
proceeded swiftly and evenly. But after
they had accomplished that distance, Knap
ton began to drop gradually behind. He
had either oyeratcd his powers, or exhaust
ed himself with kicking too vigorously ut
any ran rom whatever caase, when they
had gols about Il mile, he cried out to
Jones: ! can 20 no further. | must shut
up. You 70 on. Never mind mc,-gn on.
Jones. however, was the last man in the
world to desert Il friend in difficulties he
turned, and swan back 20 him at once.
Are you done, up, old fellow, Jones said
to him.
Yes, said the midslipman I can't 60
on any further. But you go on you'dbct
ter leave me.
Not |. said Jones we set out together.
aud we'll finish together. or not at all.
Now, look here. Don't v0n cr-sn ~ ~.
not to know that that's rayng madness.
Rest Your hands upon my hips let your
body float quietly out; and I'll see what
can do.
Knarton did exactly as he was bdcn :;
Jones stretched himself out before him :;
and with more than ever resting upon him
now, in every sense of the term. struck ont
again for the land as rrselHtcly a. before
Who WIS that rusty old heroe, .Encas
was MT it! pious .Eneas!--that they make
~ much fuss about, because he carrlcdhis
father ON his shoulders ont 0fburn;ng Troy.
all the while i'll the morning dreading
that Greeks would pop out upon him at ev-
cry corner! Well, he was not Il bit more Of
heroe than Pcyton Jones. In fact give
me Jones tor choice for reckoning the cle-
mcntS as about equally nasty, who would
not sooner have to deal with IL Greek than
Il Shark' In the first case, you might drop
the Governor, and 70 in at the Greek. with
ont fearing to find the ole gentleman a Gin
again But with Jones it was quite differ
cnt If lie left knapton, the poor fellow
mus. have drowned: aud as far az the
sharks were concerned, he had nothing for
it but to swim on, and if the enemy chose
to bite his legs off why they must. Besides
there is another thing to be said for Joncso
case,-it i perfectly true whereas. as re-
ga,ds the feat of Father .E,ncas, it is--t-
put it in the mildest way-.open to question.
This is, however. rather Il trihing way
of speaking OF what was no triile to Jones.
As he was swimming ON. toiling along with
Knapton, more dead than alive, hanging
on to him. he suddenly became aware that
one Of them was after him. The demon
had found them ont at last. twas a sick
enng moment that; yet, determined new
cr to say die. swimming vigorously to the
last, and kicking and splashing with all his
might, Jones pushed his way through that
awful sea. The shark kept close to them;
now ON this side. NOW on ihat, now divn.
beneath them. and give YOU my honor
sir. Jones said to me himself, that once
distinctly irlt the hegyar's internal nose
touch my thigh. and the horror Of that near.
| IL finished me. Heaven knows how he
cached the shore n whole man. but he did
! each it at last. and brought knapton will
him too, fainting certainly y, but without .
rimb short.
We'll. he had got to the land, and that
was the principal thing. After struggling
through two miles of sea, dragging. :. half
dead man along with YOU. aud dodgine
sharks, any land would seem paradise
but still it is not exactly the thing for (;
gentleman in these days to make his ap.
pearance on terra iirma in the very same
costum. as that in which Adam first made
| his. In lis joy at reaching land anG
bringing his friend safely with him. Jrncs
had forgotten his state of undress but
when he had carried Knapion in his arms
up the beach, and had laid him out as if Ia
dry, well above highwl:er mark, then, as
he was start ng of at Il run in the drcc-
ton of the harbor. c full conviction OF
MS dbsolIitt Ci"'H'eiteSh'SS '"ih' "Nti nm
with crushing force. How on earth was
he to make his way to the harbor, and to
appear on the deck of II. NJ, :. Briareu,
without "a single thing to cover him cxcep,
his own confusion 1t was dreadful di-
lemma, and for moment Jones almost re-
GREETED that the sharks had not delivered
him from the difficulty but a moment,
thought. and tho recollection of the mser-
able plight in which his friends on the cap,