The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-06-08
Our Gunner's ShOt...A Thrilling
Incident Of Ocean Life. @.
By svLvANus cobn, JR,

| ~ N'st ~ w - Wv
Bay IF Tangier, fortified city In The
ext oe northwest point Of Africa.
Th, day had been extremely mild,
with gentle breeze sweeping in from
the northward aud westward, but to-
ward the close Of the afternoon the
sea breeze died away, and one of those
sultry over-like atmospheric breath.
ings came up from the great sunburnt
Sahara. Half an hour after sundown,
the captain gave tho cheering order
for the boat-swain to scall all hands to
60 in a swimming and in less than
i've minutes the forms Of our hardy
ters were seen leaping from the gang
ways, tho ports, the nettings, the bow.
spirit, and some Of the more venture
some took their plunge from the arms
of the lower Yards.
One Of tho studding.sails had been
lowered into the water. with its corn
ers suspended from the main yard
arm and the swinging boom, and into
this most of tho swimmers made their
way. Among those who seemed to
be enjoying the sport most highly
were two of the boys, Tim. Wallace
and Fred. Fairbanks, the latter OF
whom was the son of our old gunner,
and in a laughing mood they started
out from the studding-sail on ra ace
There was loud, ringing shout of
joy upon their lips as they put off,
and they darted through the water
like fishes. The surface of the sea
was as smooth as glass, though it's bo-
som rose in long, heavy swells that set
in from the Broad Atlantic.
The ship was moored with long
sweep upon both cables, and the buoy
of the starboard anchor was far away
on tho starboard quarter, where it
rose and fell with tho lazy swells like
q drunken man. Toward this buoy
the lads made their way, Fred. Fair
Lanks taking the lead but when they
we're within about dozen fathoms Of
the. buoy, Tim. shot ahead and prom
ised to win the race. The old gunner
had watched the progress of his little
sep with q vast degree of PRIDE. and
when he saw him dropping behind, bo
leaped upon the ro,p, and was just
upon the point of urging him on by
shout, when cry reached his ears
that made him start as though he had
been struck by cannon ball.
"A shark a shark 7 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 distance of three
or four cables length, a sharp wake
was seen in the water, where tho back
TN of the monster was visible. His
course was for the boys For mo-
ment tho poor gamer stood like ono
bereft of sense, but on the next he
shouted at the top of his voice for his
boy to turn, but the little fellow
heard him not--stoutly Tho two swim.
mers strove for the goal, ell uncon.
soious Of the bloody death.spirit that
hovered so near them Their merry
laugh still rang over the waters, and
at length they both touched the buoy
together. -Ht
Q, what drope of agony started
from the brow Of our gunner! A
boat had put off, but Fairbanks knew
that 1t could not reach his child in
season, for the shark was too near its
intended victims; and every moment
he expected to see the monster sink
from sight--then he knew that all
hope would be gone At this mo.
mont a CRY reached tie chip chat went
through every heart like a stream of
acorching fire-Athe boys had discover.
ed their enemy! "'''s" rn4F>a r1
| That oty started old Fairbanks to
his senses, and quicker than thought
he sprang to the quarterback. The
guns were loaded and shotted fore ana
aft, and none knew their temper better
than be. With a steady hand made
strong by . sudden hope, the old gon.
ner seized primingwire and privkod
the cartridge Of one Of the quarter
guns II en- he took from bis pocket d
percussion wafer and set it 10 its
place, and set back the hammer OF, the
patent lock. With a giant strength
the old man swayed the bteeoh of the
heavy gun to Its bearing, and then seiz.
ing the, string Of the look, 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 yet q
single moment would settle his hopes
or bis fears. Y y" }'H' q. !"
:" Every breath was hushed; and eve.
| ry heart in that old ship was painful
" still. The boat was yet az some
distance from the boys, while the &Rof.
rible sea-monster was frightfully near.
Suddenly the air was awoke" by the
roar Of the heavy gun, and as the old
man know that fhs Bhot' wasa gone ,shs
aagk bRoF oppn the oofnbldg giof TIC
hatch aid buried his,efsce' ID BIS haSds,
SS Sif afraid to Sec TIE e result ~ hiS
own effort, fof II he had failed, ID
hi1nSSsaL All 70. hsa MaxL - asIItHMs 'h1i