The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-01-25
An Adventure With a Shark,

ril1 rhHLtlNG ENpLotr or DIVER orr
r1G GULF COAsr
Aifetto, the Spanish diver, met with
a remarkable adventure aud had very
narrow escape recently while engaged
In diving operations on the Gulf Coast,
near the little town of Morehead. The
"Atlanta,' one of the best known
coasting vessels in these parts, was
capsized in a squall on the 22nd of Sep
tember, and sank just inside the bar
The owners of the craft contracted
with a diving company TO have her
raised and to recover as much of her
cargo as was still serviceable. Alfetto
and another diver were engaged to do
the work. They made several success-
ful descents, but on the fourth trip the
Spanlard met with the adventure of
which we speak. His comrade signal
ed hastily to be drawn up, and when
he had been hauled into the boat he
related how Alfetlo had been seized by
a monster white shark and carried off (;
but scarcely had he done speaking
when Alfetto rose from the water about
fifty yards from the !'oat, and was pick
ed up insensible, with several holes
punched in the metallic part of his di.
wing suit. Means were successfully
adopted to bring him round, and next
day he told the following story:
As you know we had made our
fourth descent, and, while my compau-
ion clambered into the vessel, | waited
on the ground till he should attach the
cords 10 draw something out, | was
just about to signal to be drawn up for
a moments rest, when noticed shad-
owy body moving at some distance
above me and toward me. In o mo-
ment every fish had disappeared, the
very crustaceans lay still upon the sand
and the cuttle-fish scurried away as
fast as they could l was not thinking
OF danger, and my first thought was
that ii was the shadow of a passing
boat. But suddenly feeling of terror
seized me. felt lmpelled to flee from
something / knew not what. A vague
horror seemed grasping after me, such
as child fancies when leaving a dark
ened room. BY this time the shadow
had come nearer and taken shape. 1t
scarcely needed a glance to show me that
1t was man eater, and of the largest
size. Had | signalled 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 the rigging of
the ship, its body motionless, its fins
barely stirring the water about its
gills.
1t was monster as it was, but to
add to the horror the pressure of the
water upon my head made it appear as
it pouring flames from my eyes and
mouth, and every movement of its fins
and tail seemed accompanied by dis
play of fireworks. | was sure the fish
was thirty feet long, and so near that |
could see its double row of white teeth.
Involuntarily shrunk closer to the
side of the vessel. But my first move
ment betrayed my presence. saw the
shining eyes fixed upon its tail quver-
ed, as it darted at me like streak of
light. l shrank closer to the side
OF the ship. / saw it turn on one side,
its mouth open, and heard the teeth
snap as it darted by me. 1t had miss
ed me, but only for moment. The
sweep OF its mighty tail had thrown me
forward. saw it turn, balance itself,
and its tail quivered as it darted at me
again. There was no escape 1t turn
ed on its bacl, as it swooped down
on me like hawk on sparrow. The
caverDous jaws opened, and the long
shining teeth grated as they closed on
my metal harness.
1t had me- could feel its teeth
grinding on my copper breast plate as
1t tried to bite me in two; for, fortu-
nately, it had caught me just across
the middle, where l was best pro-
tected. Having seized me it went tear
ing through the water. | could feel it
bound forward at each stroke of its
tail. Had it not been for my copper
helmet my head would have been torn
off by the rush through the water. l
was perfectly conscious, but somehow l
felt no terror at all. There was only
feeling OF numbness. l wondered how
long it would be before those teeth
would crunch through, and whether
they would strike first into my back or
my breast. Then l thought of Mag
gle and the baby, and wondered who
would take care of them. and if she
would ever know what had become of
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 crhnching and grinding away
upon my harness Then felt the cold
water begin to pour in and heard the
bubble, bubble, bubble, as the air es-
capped into the creatures mouth be-
gan to hear great guns, and to see fire.
works and rainbows and sunshine, and
all kinds of pretty things then |
thought | was floating away on a rosy
summer cloud, dreaming to the sounds
OF sweet music. Then all became
blank. The shark might have eaten
me at his leisure, and l never would
have been the wiser. Imagine my as
tonlshment then, when opened my eyes
on board this boat and saw you fellows
around me. Yes, sir | thought | was
dead and ate nm snra E,.o,,, ma