The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-09-21
Thrilling Shark Story.
SEA CAPTAINS WONDERFUL ESCAPE.

In 1886 Captain Blank was the first m ate
of ship cruising on New Bedford.
The ''W illiam King" was one Of those old
fashioned tubs peculiar to the last century,
saili e equally well either way. bow or
stern. Or Telegraph Hill, near San Fran
ciscp, a school of whales was raised, led by
an immense bull, and steering in north
erly direction. Two boats were at once
lowered. but they had scarcely touched the
water when the school pared, one part
running north and the other south. Capt.
Blanks boat followed one band, while Jim
Watson, the mate followed the other. The
Captains boat had crew of magnificent
oarsmen they laid to their work with
will, and after an hours pull came within
range of the bull. Captain Blank got an
iron into him in short order, the fish sounG-
ed and went down at speed which almost
equalled that of the 'ligh.ning express
train. The line ran out with dea fleming
hum the loggerhead smoked, and tie
boat laid her bows deep into the water
Suddenly the strain ceased, the whale was
coming up, aud every eye conned the seas
for d glimpse of the monster. He came up
like rocket, struck the boat on the keel
amidsbip with his nose. and hurled il thir-
ty feet into the air. AS il descended il
capsized, and fell bottom uppermost. The
men Immediately swan for it, and, with
the exception of the Captain, reached it &,
where they cluDg to the keel.
The Captain soon swan up, but
finding the keel crowded, resolved not to
risk an upsetting by venturing upon it
SO he put an oar under each arm, and,
treading water. kept near the boat, cheer
ing the crew who, as was natural to men IN
their situation, were nervous and down
hearted. They toated this way several
minutes, and were gradually getting over
the first shock, when the stroke oarsman,
a gigantic negro, called out. Look dar-a
shark ~ Nothing so horriiies a sailor as
the appearance of that ravenous fish in
honrs of peril The crew looked and saw
a huge bottle noSed shark floating appa-
Iently not more than fathOm below the
surface. The Captain saw the monster
also, and felt his chance of escape dwinde
to IA cipher; nevertheless, lie did not lose
courage, and instead of Fastening the event
which seemed beyond prevention, resolved
TO escape it if possible. lie knew that a
shark would never bite at an unsteady bait
The nose of Ihe creature is in lis way; it
must turn on its side TO snap, and then ouly
when the object is stationary. 1t may be
for a second only, but that is enough the
shark darts like lightning, and in moment
seizes its prey. The Captain knew this,
and knew his only salvation depended on
his keeping constantly i'll motion. The
least pause would be fatal, So with The two
oars under his arm lie kept atloat, moving
about necessarily his eyes fixed on the dark
monster beneath him, which followed
wherever he moved. His mind was unu =
ual1y active every circumstances of his
life came before him with the clearness of
MONDAY. The scenes of his youth, in par
ticular, came before him in vivid culoring.
He saw the old farmhouse in which he WAS
born-the hills, woods and meadows SUI
rornding ii; the distant village. the church
Spire, the tiucks on the plains the winding
river, the cows browsing in the fields /; he
heard the clatter Of the mill, the songs of
the mowers, the birds singing in the groves
and the gan echoing among the hills. He
heard, too, the voice of one dearer TO him
than all on earth the voice of ,ne-but all
this took place while a raiacious mon II
was floating within few feet of him, wait
ing ouly for moments pause in his move
ments 20 rend him in pieces!
The second boat having now rescued the
wrecked men, appi oached he Captain, who
ordered its crew 20 shoot by him at full
speed, and as il passed he would grasp il
ana spring in, the critical moment being
when he would lose motion and the shark
would be likely t. seize him. However
that risk must be taken. The mate faith
fully carried out his diIecions. The men
strained every sincw. They were whale q
men. and, as such, topgallaut oarsnen.
The boa itself was scarcely seen, buried
in double wall of f"aming spray. the oars
bending like reeds, and the gunwales quiv-
ering at each stroke. Ii took a steady
nerve, an eagle glance, and lightning
grasp to secure tie flying ciafi ; but the
Captain had these, aud as il passed seized
the starboard gunwae, and was thrown
like shot into the boat At the same iu-
stant The sharks head rose above water,
and iis laws SuaDnen will, a St,uud aud ihlc
for a considerable distance. The Captain,
as he himself remarked, escaped 'only by
a scratch -