The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1877-09-14
shock, when the stroke oarsman, a gigantic


Nothing so horrifes sailor as the APP
pearance ofthat rayenous fish in hours of
peril. The crew looked, and saw huge
bottIe-nosed shark floating apparently not
more than a fathom below the surface. The
captain saw the monster also and felt his
chances to escape dwindIe to a cipher
nevertheless he did not lose courage, aud
instea of fastening the event which seem
ed beyond prevention, resolved to escape
it if possible. He knew that shark will
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. It may be so for a
second only, but that is enough; the shark
darts like lightning, and Id moment
seizes its prey. The captain knew this, and
knew his only salvation depended on his
keeping constantly in motion. The least
pause would be fatal, so with two oars
under his arms he kept aaoat, moving about
necessarily, his eyes fixed on the dark
monster beneath him, which followed
wherever he moved.
Such Situation would be apt to affect
the senses terribly, yet the captain says he
was never caImer, never less troubled, and
neverless afraid Of death. His mind, how
ever, was unusually active; every cir
cumstance of his life came before him with
the clearness of monday. The scenes OF
his youth, in particular, passed before him
in vivid coloring. He saw the old farm
house in which he was born-the hills,
woods, and meadows surrounding it; the
distant village, the church spire, the focks
on the plain, 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. He heard, too,
the voice of one dearer to him than all ofI
earth the voice ofone-but all this took
place while rapacious monster was float
ing within few feet OF him, waiting only
for moments pause in his movements to
rend him in pieces.
What is consciousness? A mystery.
What is peril? A terror to the coward, an
inspirer to the courageous.
Meanwhile the ships company had
discovered the mishap which had befalLen
the boats crew, and stood toward them, at
the same time sign ling the second boat
% pull to their aid. Mere than an hour
elapsed, however, before the second mates
boat came within hailing distance. The
captain then called to Jim Watson, the
mate, and told him to take the men off
the capsized boat adding that shark was
near, waiting to seize him the instant he
ceased to move. He told the mate to keep
cool and follow his instructions, as on his
GOODNESS and address his life depended.
The mate promised and, though usual
J blundering, harum-scarum fellow, in
his instance proved equal to the emer-
sency. The terrible peril of his fellow-of
icer sharpened his wits, and endowed him
With coolness and sagacity not common
0 his nature. He succeeded in taking
very man from the keel, proceeding
Thich the shark watched with an apparent
y-absorbing interest, expecting to make
neal Of at least one Of the poor fellows {
llnging toit. Not succeeding, the monster
wan toward the captain and resumed its
rlginal station about a fathom below him,
lovlng only as he moved, aud turning now I
I'D then on its side as ifintending to seize {
IS prey. The captain, however, moved {
ontinually, and the fish returned to its {
riginal position. /
The men being all aboard, the captain t
ow told the mate to lay his boat for him, 4
set all hands to the oars, and let them )
all their utmost, shooting the boat at full |
oeed past him. As it passed he would p
fasp the gunwale and springiu, the crit a
al moment beng when he would lose a
otion, and when the shark wyuAd be like t
to se-ze him. However, the risk must b
taken.
The mate faithfully carried out his direc- !.
ons. The men strained every sinew. n
hey were whalemeu, and as such topgal- il
Mt oarsmen, and the speed al which they "
at that boat driving through the water 0
ould have shamed the flight Of the swift h
t sea bird. The boat itself was scarcely b
en-, buried ina double wall Of foauling p
ray, the oars bending likv reeds and the s
nwales quivering at each stroke. It. Ia
ok a steady nerve, an eagle glance, aud e
lightning grasp to secure the flying craft; 81
t the captain had these, and, as it pass Ct
, seized the starboard gunwale, and was fe
,own like a shot into the boat. At the pt
ne instant the sharks head rose above E
ter, and its jaws snapped with q sonnd 81
dible for distance Of several furlongs. G
The captai4, as he himself remarked, th