Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-04-19
Some Stories of Sea Sharks.

A large life-boat crossing the bar OF the
San Juan River upset. preclpltatlng the
crew, consisting of two officers (white)
and ten colored men, into the water, the
boat being turned upside down. II felt, :"
says the narrator. that my life was not
worth half an hours purchase. The cock
swain to the boat, weakly black man, rose
alongside of me after the plunge; he was
in great terror. and felt that if the sharks
did not harm him he could scarcely reach
the shore without help; so | encouraged
him by telling him would swim by him.
and give him hand if he felt tired. No
tired, massa; neber live to be tired; look
at dem round us l felt that he was AS
close to the truth rs possible. for we were
literally in the center of Il shOal Of sharks.
whose black triangular fins we could see
on all sides sailing round US. AS the beach
was quite close, we tir>t endeavored to
make that but soon discovered that the
current was so strong that we made no
Roadway and we We're forced to turn to-
ward the boat, which was $50 yards away.
drifting out to sea, turned upside down.
with the rest of her crew astride on her
keel. There was moth ne however, for 1t
but to swim to her, and. aided by the
strong current. we soon shortened the dis
lance All this time the sharks were
around us, making. | flncicd smaller clr-
clcs, and once or twice | thought | felt
something touch my feet with a rush, As
these horril brntes do before they bite; if
it was my imagination, it was not Il great
stretch, however. for we had not got
twenty Yards ahead Of the spot, when my
companion shreked, threw up his arms
and disappeared beneath the waves. \
rush of black fins, and their sudden dis tpr
pearance under water, WAS the last thing |
remembered until | found myself along
side our ship in the stern-shects of the cut
ter " hich had been sent to the rescue"
Considering the foolhar,lv rashnesS of
the negroes in bathing. it is surprising how
=" Dive for Sixpence, masss, into the water
morning, However he will never venture
in after dark. Sharks, ike many other
fish. bite IN ne freely ut night; in fact.
,harkv waters where fish are shy, and
bathing is comparatively free from danger
DURING the dtv. cannot be entered after
niylItf,ll without very great risk, the more
especially that 1T night sharks will, like
trout, prowl about shallow water barely
enough " cover tltlll. UC WI ltti lttol-
lects at Colon two stokerS of the mail
steamer TIME taking forrca>tlc leave one
night. The ship was warped alongside
the wharf and these tw" men crcpt along
the haws-rs, hand over hand to reach the
wharf The first got over safely. but the
second Slipped and fell into the water.
Not NJ all frightened, in Il low voice he
told his companion to lower him 4 rope
from the wharf but he had scarcely spoken
when he disappeared and did not rise again
4 sharks stomach 10 Il sailor in a matter of
extreme interest Let s see what S inside
of him : is Jacks first thought when the
monster lies dead on the deck though
Jack is invariably disappointed Of finding
treasure, 4 silver watch. for example would
fill his soul with pleasure.