Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-14
IN THE JAWS OF A SHARK.
TEhe Marvellous Experience of AIfettO
While Working at KHis Calling OF
Diver.
Panama Herald

Alfetto, the Spanish diver, who has
been at work on the wreck of the At
lanta, near Morehead, thus speaks of
an adventure had by him a few days
ago: At the time was at the bottom
of the sea, I was just about 10 signal
to be drawn up, for moments rest,
when noticed q shadowy body NOV
ing at some distance above NE and
towards me. In mOment every fish
had disappeared-the very crustaceans
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 passing boat But
suddenly a feeling of terror seized me-
felt impelled to flee from something,
I knew not what. A vague horror
seemed grasping after me, such as a
child fancies when leaving a darken-
ed room. By this time the shadow
had come nearer and taken shape. It
scarcely needed a glance to show me
that it was a 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. It lay off
twenty or twenty five feet, just outside
the rigging of tho ship, its body mo-
tionless, it's fins barely stirring the
water about its gills.
It was a monster as it was, but to
add to the horror the pressure of
water upon my head made it appear
as if pouring flames from it's eyes and
mouth, and every movement of its
fins and tail seemed accompanied by
a display of Trevor ks. | was sure
the fish was thirty feet long, and SO
near that [ could see his doubld row
of white teeth. Involuntarily shrunk
closer to the side of the vessel. But
my first movement betrayed my pres
ence. [ saw the shining eyes fixed
upon me; it's tail quivered as it darted
at me like a streak Of light. I shrank
closer to the side of the ship. ] saw il
turn on one side, it's mouth open, and
heard the teeth snap as it darted by
me. II had missed me, but only for a
moment. The sweep of it's mighty tail
threw me forward. [ saw it turn, bal
ance itself, and its tail quivered as it
darted at me again. There was no
escape. 1t turned on it's back as it
swoOped down on me like a hawk on
a sparrow. The jaws opened and the
long, shining teeth grated as they
closed on my metal harness. It had
me, I could feel its teeth grinding on
my copper breastplate as it tried to
bite me in two, for, fortunately, it 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. Had it not
been for my copper helmet my head
would have been torn off by the rush
through the water | was perfectly
conscious, but somehow 7 felt no ter
ror at all. There was only feeling of
numbness. I wondered how long If
would be before those teeth would
crunch through and whether they
would strike first into my back or my
breast. Thea Thought Of Maggie 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 ny
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 away upon my harness
Then I felt the cold water pour in and
heard the bubble, bubble, bubble, as
the air escaped into the creatures
mouth. / began to hear great guns
and see fireworks and rainbows and
sunshine and all kinds Of pretty things,
then I thought I was floating away
on rosy summer cloud, dreaming to
the sound of sweet music. Then all
became blank. The shark might have
eaten me at his leisure and never
would have been the wiser Imagine
my astonishment then when I opened
my eyes on board this boat and saw
you fellows around me. Yes, sir, ]
thought I was dead and ate up, sure.