Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-07-18
NO. 1863
THE GUNNER's BOY AND THE SHARK.


Our noble ship lay at anchor in the bay
of Iangier, fortified city in the extreme
northwest point of Africa. The day had
been extremely mild, with gentle breeze
sweeping in from the noI1hward and west
ward, but toward the close of the afternoon
the sea-breeze died away and one of those
sultry, oyen-like atmospheric breathlngs
came up from the great sun-burnt Sahara.
Half an hour before sundown, the Captain
gave the cheering order for the boatswain
to ''call all hands to 90 in "a swimming
and in less than five minutes the forms OF
our hardy tars were seen leaping from the
gangways, the ports, the nettings, the bow
spirits, and some Of the more venturesome
took their plunge from the arms of the
lower yards. . ..-ea
One of the studding sails had been low
cred into the water, with it's corners sus-
pended from the main yard arm and the
swinging boom, and into this most of the
swimmers made their way. Among those
who seemed to be ENJOYING the sport most
were two of the boys, Tim Wallace and
Fred Fairbanks, the latter Of whom was
the son of our old gunner, and in IL laugh
inc mood they started out from the studding
sail on a race There was a loud, ringing
shout OF JOY upon their lips as they put off,
aud they darted through the water like
fishes The surface OF the sea was as
smooth as glass, though its bosom rose in
long, heavy swells that set i'll from the
broad Atlantic.
The ship was moored with a long sweep
upon both cables, and the buoy of the star
board anchor was far away on the starboard
quarters. where it rose and fell with the lazy
swells like drunken man. Toward this
buoy the two lads made their way, Fred
Fairbanks taking The lead; but when they
were within about dozen tathoms OF the
buoy, Tim shot ahead and promised to win
the race The old gunner had watched the
progress of his little son with vast degee
of pride, and when he saw him dropping
behind he leaped upon the poop, and was
| Just upon the point of urging him on by a
shout. when a cry reached his ears that
made him start as though he had been
struck by cannon ball. s
"A shark! 4 sharkm p came from the
Captain OF the forecastle and at the sound
of these terrible words the men who were
in the water leaped and plunged toward
the ship.
Right abeam, at a distance of three or
four cables length, sharp wake was
seen in the water, where the back fin of
| the monster was visible. His course was
for the boys! For a moment the poor
gunner stood like one bereft OF sense,
/ but the next he shouted at the top OF his
voice for his boy to turn, but the little iel-
/ low heard him not; stoutly the two SWIM
mers strove for the goal all unconscious
OF the bloody death-spirit which lowered
| so near them. Their merry laugh rang
out over the waters, and at length they
both reached the buoy together.
! Oh what drops of agony started from
the brow Of our gunner boat had put
of, but Fairchild knew that it could not
reach his child in season, for the shark
was too near its intended victims; and
every moment he expected to see it sink
from sight-then he knew that all hope
would be gone. At this moment a cry
reached the ship that went through every
heart like a stream of scorching tire-the
bows had discovered their enemy.
That cry startled old Fairbanks to his
senses, and quicker than thought he
sprang to the quarterback. The guns
were loaded and shorted fore and aft, and
none knew their temper better than he.
With steady hand, made strong by a
sudden hope, the old gunner seized a
printing wire and pricked the cartridge Of
one of the quarter guns; then he took
from his pocket percussion wafer and
set it in its place, and set back the ham,,
mer of the patent lock- With a giants
strength the old man svayed the breech
of the heavy gun to its bearing, and then,
seizing the string of the lock, he stood
back and watched for the next swell that
should bring the shark within range. He
had aimed the piece some distance ahead
of his mark, but single moment would
settle his hopes or fears. f
Every breath was hushed, and every
heart in the old ship was painfully still.
The boat Was vet at some distance from
the boys, while the horrible sea monster
was frightiullyl near. Suddenly the air
was awoke with the roar of the heavy gun,
and as the old man knew that his shot was
gone he sank back upon the combings of
the hatch and buried his face in his hands
as if afraid to see the result ofhis own effort,
| for if he failed he knew that his boy was
| lost!
For moment after the report of the gun
had died away upon the air there was
dead silence, but as the impenetrable smoke
arose from the surface of the water, there
was, at first, low murmer breaking from
the lips of the men; that murmur grew
louder and stronger. until it swelled to a
JOYOUS, detening shout. The old gunner
sprang to his feet and gazed off upon the
water, and the first thing that met his view
was the huge carcass OF the shark. floating
withits hite belly uppermost-a mangled,
lifeless mass.
In few moments the boat had reached
the daring swimmers, and halt dead from
fright they We're brought on board. Ihe
old man clasped his boy in his arms, and
then. overcome by the powerful excite
ment, he leaned back upon the gun for
support. -
mept and suspense; but ne, er have seen
three hundred human beings more over
come by thrilling emotion than on that
startling moment when first we knew the
effect oil our gunner's shot