Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-03-11
Adventure WithaShark

Twenty years ago the West In
dian squadron consisted of sailing
frigates and brigs, not of screw
vessels, as at present. In those days
officers had to depend entirely up
on their seamanship. There was
no furling sails and getting steam
up if headwind or calm turned
up, or to go in and out of difficult
harbors; and if the passage from
one port to another did occupy a
little more time than at present,
yet there was the pleasure of ''eat-
ing your way to windward," and
of seeing what your vessel really
could do against a foul wind.
At the time / allude to | was
serving as midshipman on board
the H, a fine sixteen gun brig
| know no sensation more pleasant
than being officer of the watch on
board a brig of war, with every
stitch OF canvas set, the bowlines
hauled, and as much wind as she
can stagger under, while the little
I beauty knocks of her nine or ten
knots, close hauled, gliding over
the seas like a swan, sometimes
throwing the spray as high as her
maintop, or at others dipping her
sharp nose under an opposing wave
and sending the spray right aft
to her quarterback, while she
gives a shake to her stern for all
the world as if she were living
creature, and enjoyed the ducking
she gave the men forward.
Jolly were the times we had in
the H, visiting every hole and
corner Of the station; sometimes
down the Gulf of Mexico, at others
cruising among the sand Gays of
the Bahama Channel, or knocking
about the beautiful Windward Is
lands. We were commanded by a
very smart officer, who by dint of
constant exercise, made US the
smartest vessel on the station but,
as is usually the case, we were
very unfortunate in losing men
overheard. Being remarkably
good swimmer, / was fortunate
enough to rescue on several occa-
sions men who, in performing their
duties aloft, fell overheard, and it
was when so occupied that l met
with the following adventure
We had been cruising for some
time for siavers on the south coast
of C0ba; but yellow fever having
made its appearance, we early one
morning left Saint Iago de Cuba
for Port Royal, Jamaica. That
evening at sunset, after the usual
hours exercise in reefng and furl-
ing, all possible sail was made, with
studding sails allow and alOft, to a
Gne fresh breeze, the brig going q
fair twelve knots. One of the
maiutop men had remained aloft,
finishing some jc5, and was on
his way down over the cat-harp-
ing shrouds, when by some
means or other, he lost his hold,
and falling, struck the spare topsail
yard, slowed in the main chains,
and went overheard. Twas stand
ing on the stern gratings, and, see
ing him fall, instantly sang out,
"Man overboard!' and, throwing
off my jacket, jumped over the
quarter after him. The impetus
of my leap took me some distant
under the water, but on regaining
the surface | saw him not far from
me, just as he went down. Ex-
erting all my power, few strokes
took me to the place where he had
disappeared, and ! saw him slowly
sinking beneath me. In an instant
/ was down after him, and clutch
ing him by the hair, l brought him
to the surface. BY this time the
brig was nearly two miles distant
from us, for, although sail had
been shortened, and the vessel
brought to the wind as quickly as
mortal hands could do it, the rate
at which she was going at the time
Of the accident of course bore her
rapidly away from us. l found
the poor fellow was quite insensi-
BILE, and from the fact of his right
arm hanging limp, conjectured
that he had broken it in his fall,
which proved to be the case. Sup
porting him with one arm, / kept
afioat with the other, and looking