Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-26
Adventure with a shark.

Twenty-Five years ago / was q mid
shipmau on board the gun.brig Scorpion,
when the following incident occurred :
We had been cruising for some time for
slavers on the south coast Of Cuba; but,
yellow fever having made its appearance,
we, early one morning, left Saint lago
de Cuba for Port Royal, Jamaica. That
evening, at sunset, after the usual hour s
exercise in ree6ng and furing, all possi-
BILE sail was made. with studding-sails
allow and aloft to fine fresh breeze, the
brig going a fair twelve-knots. One of
the maintop men had remained aloft,
finishing some job, and was on his way
down over the cat harping shrouds, when,
by some means or other, he lost his hold.
and falling, struck the spare topsail yard
slowed in the msin-chains, and went
overheard. was standing on the stern
gratings, and, seeing him fall, instantly
sang out, Man overheard J. and, throw
ing off my jacket, jumped. over the
quarter after him. The impetus OF my
leap took me some distance under water,
but, on regaining the surface, saw him
not far from me, just as he was
going dswn. Exsrting all my power,
few strokes took me to the place where
he had disappeared, and / saw him
slowly sinking beneath me. In an in-
slant | was down after him, and, clutch
ing him by the hair, brought him to the
surface. By this time the brig was nearly
two miles distance 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 tie time of the accident OF
course bore her rapidly away from US. l
found the poor fellow was quite insen-
sible, and, from the fact of his right arm
hanging limp, copjectured that he had
broken it in his fall, which proved 70 be
the case. Supporting him with one arm,
kept aheat with the other, and, locking
round, saw the life-buoy floating not far
from us; so, taking a good grip OF his
hair, swan toward it, and, having sue
ceeded in reaching it, made my unfor-
tunate shipmate fast to it by one of the
beckets, with his head we'll above water.
By this time he was coming TO himself,
and / knew that if they could see us from
the brig her boats would soon be along
side us; but this did not appear to be the
case, for the boats seemed pulling in all
directions but the right one. Suddenly |
saw, but few yards from us, an object
that in q moment filled me with unutter-
able dread-the black fin of monster
shark. Slowly the brute approached,
until could clearly distinguish that he
was one of the largest of bis kind. He
evidently intended to reconnoitre, and,
when only about FIVE yards from us,
began to swim slowly in a circle, but
gradually nearing until / could clearly
distinguish the horrid eyes that make the
sharks countensnce what it is-the very
embodiment Of Satanic mslignity. Half
concealed between the bony brow, the
little green eyes CLEAN with so peculiar
An expression of hatred-such concen-
tration of fendish malice, of quiet, calm,
settled yillsinF-that no other ceunte-
nance that / have ever seen at all resem-
bles il. Knowing that the brute is as
cowardly as he is ferocious, commenced
to splash as much as l could with my
feet This had the desired effect, and
with q lateral vaye of his powerful tail,
be shot of, aud, for 8 moment, disap-
pesred. Again ] looked round for the
boats, but sill observed no sign that We
we're seen.
Night was fast falling-there is no tvi.
light in those latitudes-and / could see
little or no hope of escaping horrid
death from the jaws of the brute. who, |
full we'll knew, was not far Of. Sudden
Iyacry of horror from my companion,
Who bad not quite regained his senses