Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-10-19
4 shark story.

HOW CAPTAIN ESCAPED HORRIBLE DEATH
In 1886, Capt Blank was the first mate Of
a whale ship cruising out of New Bedford
The William King was one of those old
fashioned tubs peculiar to the last century,
sailing equally well either way, bow OF
stern. OF Telegraph Hell, near San Fran
cisco, a school of whales was raised, led by
an immense bull, and stearng in a northerly
direction. Two boats were at once lowered
but they had scarcely touched the water
when the school parted, one part running
north and the other south. Captain Blank s
boat followed one band, while jim Watson,
the mate, followed the other. The Captain 5
boat had crew of magnificent oarsmen
they laid to their work with a will, and af-
ter an hours pull came within range of the
bull. Capt. Blank got an iron into him in
short order; the FISH sounded and went
down at speed which almost equaled that
of the Tightening express train. The line
ran out with a deaiening hum, the logger
head smoked, and the boat laid her bows
deep into the water. Suddenly the strain
ceased, the whale was coming up, and every
eve scanned the seas for GLIMPSE Of, the mon
ster. lie came up like rocket, struck the
boat on the keel amdships with his nose,
and hurled 1t 30 feet into the air. As it
descended it capsized and fell bottom upper
mOs:. The men Immediately swan for it,
and, with the exception Of the captain,
reached it, where they clung to the boat.
The captain soon swan up, but finding the
keel crowded, resolved not to risk an upset
ting by venturing upon it. So he put an
oar under each arm, and, treading water,
kept near the boat, cheering the crew, who,
as was natural to men in their situation,
were nervous and down-hearted. They
doated this way several minutes, and were
gradually getting over their hrst shock when
the stroke Oarsman, a gigantic negro, called
out, Look da.-a shark = The crew looked
and saw huge bottlc-nosed shark floating
apparently not more than fathom Lelow
the surface. The captain saw the monster
also, and felt his chances Of escape dwindle
to cipher, nevertheless, he did not lose
courage, and instead of hast ening the event
which seemed beyond prevention, resolved
to escape it if possible. lie knew shark
would never bite at an unsteady bait. The
nose OF the creature is in its way; it must
turn on its side to snap, and then only when
the object is stationary. 1t NAV be for Il
SSNohu buh biiAh - AHS Hllhl
darts like tightening, and in moment seizes
its prey. The Captain knew this, and knew
his only salvation depended on his keeping
constantly in motion. The least pause would
he ia1, so with the two oars under his
arms he kept aaoat, moving about inccssant-
ly, his eyes fixed ON the dark monster be-
meath him, which followed wherever he
moved. HIS mind was unusually active
every circumstance OF his life came before
him with the clearness of monday. The
scenes of his youth in particular passed be
fore him in vivid colOring. lie saw the old
farmhouse in which he was born-the hills,
woods, and meadows surrounding it the
distant village, the church spire, the hOcks
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 gun
echoing among the hills. lie heard, too, the
voice of one dearer to him than all on earth;
the voice of onc-but all this took place
while rapacious monster was floating with
in a few feet of him, waiting only for Il mo-
ment's pause in his movements to rend him
in pieces
The second boat having now rescued the
WRECKED men, approached the captain, who
ordered its crew to shoot by him at full
speed. and as it passed he would grasp it and
spring in, the critical moment being when
he would lose motion and the shark would
be likely to seize him. However, that risk
must be taken. The mate faithfully carried
out his directions. The men strained every
sinew. They were whale-men, and as such,
topgallant OaTsmen. The boat itself was
scarcely seen, buried in a double wall of
spray, the oars bending like reeds,
and the gnnwale- quiSering at each stroke.
1t took a steady nerve, an eagle glance, and
a lightning grasp To secure the flying craft
but the captain had these, and as it passed
seized the starboard gunwa!e, and was
thrown like II shot into the boat. At the
same instant the sharks head rose above the
water, and its jaws snapped with sound
audible for considerable distance. The
captain, as he himself remarked, escaped
only hy scratch.