Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-03-18
IN THE JAWS OF A SHARK.

Alfatto, the Spanish diver who has been
al WORK. On the wreck Of the Atlanta, near
Morehead, thus speaks of an adventure had
by him q few days ago: AT the time was at
the bottom of the sea. ] was just about to
signal to be drawn up for q moments rest,
| when | noticed ahadowy body moving at
| some distance above and toward me. In q
moment every fish had disappeared, the very
| crustaeeans lay still! upon the sand and the
cutie fish scurlied 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 i feeling
Of horror seized me. felt impellcd to lice
from something knew rot what. Avague
horror seemed grasping after me, such az a
child iancics when leaving darkened
room. Ry this time Inc shadow had come
nearer and taken shape IGscarcaly needed
glance TO show me chat it was q man-eatcr,
and OF The largest size. Had ] signale9
10 be drawn up then, it would nave been
certain death. All | could do was to
remain still until il left II lay of twenty
or twenty-five rect, just outside the rigging
Of the ship, It's body motioDless, its fins
barely stirring the water about its SIls.
II was q monster as it was, but TO add TO
the horror the pressure OF the water upon
my head made it appear as il pouring flames
from its eyes and mouth, and every move
ulcnt OF its fins and tail seemed acCompa-
nice by display Of fireworks. ! vas sure
the fish was thirty feet long, and so near
that I could sec its double row Of white
teeth. InvoluntariIy shrunls closer to the
side of the vessel. But my first movement
BETRAYED mv presence. | saw the shining
ewes tixeG upon ne; its tail quivered as it
darted at me like streak of light. shrank
closer to tie side of the vessel. | saw it
turn on one side, its mouth open, and heard
the teeth snap rs il darted al me, 1t had
missed inc, huJ only for moment. The
sweep Of its mighty tail had thrown me
forward. / saw it turn, balance itself, and
lis tell ouiyered as it darted at me again.
There was no escape. 1t turned on its back
as il sHoopcd down on me like Il hawk on
sparrow The jaws opened, and the long,
shining teeth grated as they closed on my
| metal harness.
1t had me. | could feel its teeth grind
ing on my copper breast plate as ii tried to
| bite me in two, for fortunately: il: had caught
| me Just across tho middle, where was best
projected. Having seized nae il went tear
! ing through the water. II could feel 1t
bound forward ut each stroke Of It's tail.
Had it not been ior my copper helmet my
hcau would naye bc2a torn oil hE the rush
| through the water. ! was perfectly con-
scous, but somehow ] felt no terror at all.
There was only u feeling ri numbnes&. |
wondered how long it would be before those
teeth would crunch through, and whether
they would strike first into my back or my
breast. linen thought of Maggie and the
baby, and wondered who would take care
OF them, aud ii she would ever know what
| had become of me. All these thoughts pass
| eli through NY brain in an instant, but III
! that time the connecting air-tube had been
snapped, and my head seemed to burst with
pressure, while the monsters teeth kept
crunchng and grinding away upon my har-
| ness. Thea | felt the cold water begin to
pear il, and heard the bubble, bubble, bub-
| bic, as ;hc air escaped into the creatures
mouth began TO hear great guns and to
see fireworks and rainbows and sunshine
and all kinds Of pretty things, then
| thought ] was floating away on rosy sum-
mcr cloud, dreaming 10 the sounds OF sweet
music. Then all became black. The shark
mi.ht have eaten me at his leisure and
never would have been the wiser. Imagine
my astonishmcnt thel;, when | opened my
ewes on board this boat and saw you fellows
arouEt; ne Ies. sir, thought | was dead
ard ale up, sure.
AIlelto was found by his comrades few
minutes after the swapping of the line. He
was picked up insensible, with several holes
punched in the metallic part of his diving
suit.-Panama Herald.
KEE KS MoroE-On Saturday last Mr. John