The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-11-21
THRILLING sHARI STORY.

From csssell's Saturday Journal

sVsAA 0s0c0A oosuAuoy VOutuAL
A Spanish diver, while at work be.
meath the sea on the wreck of vessel,
met with thrilling adventure, and
gives the following graphic account Of
it: AT the time was at the bottom
of the sea" says Alfetto, II was jast
about to signal to be drawn up for .
moments rest. when I noticed shsd.
owy body moving at some distance
above and toward me. In . moment
every fish had disappeared, the very
crustaceans 10y still upon the sand, and
the cuttlefish scurried away az fast Is
they could. I was not thinking Of
danger, and my first thought was that it
was the shadow of passing boat. But
suddenly feeling Of horror seized me.
I felt impelled to flee from something.
I knew not what. A vague horror
seemed grasping after me, such o. o
child feels when entering darkened
room. By this time the shadow had
come nearer and taken shape. It scarce.
ly needed glance to show me that
it was q man-eater and one Of the larg.
est size. Had signaled to be drawn
up then it would have been certain
death. All I could do was to remain
until it left. It 10y twenty or twenty
five feet just outside Of the rigging Of
the ship, its body motionless, its fms
barely stirring the waters above its gills.
It was a monster as it was. but, to
add to the horror. the pressure OF the
water upon my head made it appear as
if it were pouring flames from its eyes
and mouth, and every movement of its
fins ane tail seemed accompanied by q
display of fireworks. I was sure the
fish was thirty feet long, and so near
that could see its double row of white
teeth. Involuntarily shrank closer
to the side of the vessel But my first
movement betrayed my presence.
saw the shining eyes fixed upon me;
its tail quivered as it darted at me like
a streak of light. Ishrank 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. It had missed
me but only for moment. The sweep
OF its mighty tail had thrown me for
ward. I saw it turn and balance itself,
and its tail quivered as it darted at me
again. There was no escape. It turned
on its back as it swooped down at me
like hawk on sparrow. The Jaws
opened and the long shining teeth
grated as they closed on my metal
harness. It had me. I could feel ite
teeth grinding on my copper breast
plate as it tried to bite me in two-for.
fortunately, it had caught me just
across the middle, where was best
protected. Heving seized me it went
tearing through the water. I could
feel it bound forward at each stroke of
it's tail. Had it not been for my copper
helmet my head would have been torn
off by the rush through the water. II
was perfectly conscious, but somehow I
felt no terror at all. There was only
feeling of numbness. l wondered how
long it would be before those teeth
crushed through, and whether they
would strike first into my back or my
breast. Then I thought Of Maggie and
the baby ana wondered who would take
care of them, and if she would eve,
know what had become of me. All these
thoughts passed through my brain in ar
instant, but in that time the connect.
ing air tube had been snapped and my
head seemed ready to burst with pres.
sure. while the monsters teeth kept
crunching and grinding upon my har-
ness. Then I felt the cold water be-
gin to pour in, and heard the bubble,
bubble, bubble as the air escaped into
the creatures mouth. I began to hear
great guns and to see fireworks and
rainbows and sunshine and all kinds Of
pretty thinps: then thouoht 1ves
floating away on arosy summer cloud,
dreaming the sounds of sweet music.
Then all became blank. The shark
might now have eaten me ct his leis.
IRE and ! should have been none the
wiser. Imagine my establishment, then,
when I opened my eyes on board and
saw you fellows around mel" Alfetto
was found by his comrades few min.
utes after the swapping Of lifeline. he
was picked up insensible with several
holes punched in the metallic part Of
his diving suit.