The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-08-01
In the Jaws of a shark.
Household Words.

household Words.
Alfetto, a Spanish diver, who had
been at work on the wreck of a vessel.
thus speaks Of an extraordinary adYen-
ture which he once had aAt that
time l was at the bottom of the sea, and
was just about to signal to be drawn up
for a moments rest, when I noticed 4
shadowy body moving at some distance
above me and toward me. In a mo-
ment every fish had disappeared, the
very c~rustaceans lay still upon the sand
and the cutie fish scurried away as
fast as they could. / was not thinking
Of danger, and my first thought was
that it was the shadow of a passing boat.
But suddenly a feeling of terror seized
me. / felt impelled to flee from some
thing, / knew not what. A g hor-
ror seemed grasping after me, such asa
child fancies when leaving a darkened
room. By this time the shadow had
come nearer and taken shape. 1t scarce
ly needed a glance to show me that it
was a man eater and Of the largest size.
Had / signeled to be drawn up then it
would have been certain death. All
could do was to remain still until it
left. 1t lay off twenty or twenty five
feet, just outside of the rigging Of the
ship, its body motionless, it's fins barely
stirring the water about its gills. IT
was q lsonster as it was, but, to add to
the horror, the pressure Of the water
--~- I111 w-A1n - n~~x..n -
pouring flames from its Ail and mouth
and every movement of its fins and tail
seemed accompanied by q display Of fire.
works. i was sure the fish was thirty
feet long, and so near that I could see
its double row Of white teeth. Involun-
tarily I shrunk closer to the side of
the vessel. But my first movement
betrayed my presence. I say the shin
ing eyes fixed upon me-; its tail CULVER
ed as il darted at ME like q streak Of
light. / shrank closer to the side of
the ship. I saw it turn on one side, its
mouth open, and heard the teeth snap
as it darted by me. 1t had missed me,
but only for q moment. The sweep OF
its mighty tail had thrown me forward.
I saw it turn, balance itself, and its
| tail quiyered as it dayted at me again.
There was no escape. 1t turned on its
back as ii swooped down on me like q
| hawk on q sparrow. The Jaws opened and
the long, shining teeth grated as they
closed on my metal harness. Ii had
me. / could feel it's teeth grinding on
my upper breast plate as it tried to bite
me in two, for, fortunately, il had
caught me just across the middle,
where ! was best protected. Having
| seized me it went tearing through the
water. I could feel it bound forward at
each stroke of its tail. Hadit not been
for my copper helmet my head would
have been torn off by the rush through
| the water. / wa still perfectly con-
| scious. but somehow I felt no terror at
| all. There was only q feeling OF numb
| ness. I wondered how long before
| those teeth would crunch through, and
whether they would strike first into my
back or my breast. Then 4 thought q
Maggie and the baby, and wondered
who would take care Of them and II she
would ever know what had become q
me. All these thoughts passed through
my brain in an instant, but IN that
time the connecting air tube had been
snapped and my head seemed
ready to burst with pressure, while
the monsters teeth kept
crunching and grinding upon my har-
ness. Then I felt the cold water begin
to pour in and heard the bubble, btb-
BILE, bubble, as the air escaped into the
Greatness mouth. 4 began to hear
great guns and to see fireworks 2
rainbows and sunshine aud all kinds OF
pretty things, then / Thought 1 was
Boating away on q rosy summer cloud,
dreaming to the sound Of sweet music,
Then all became blank. The shark
might have eaten me at his Leisure and
VI would never been the wiser. Imagine
~ establishment, then, when ! opened
my eyes on this boat and saw you tel.
lows around me. Yes sir, I thou9llt 4
was dead and ate up sure. Aifetto
was found BY his comrades q few mIn*
utes alter the Swapping osthc iine. he
Was picked up insensible and with sew,
eraI holes punched In the metallic mart
Of his diving xuit