The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-10
IN A SHARKS MOUTH.
The Thrilling Experiences of Spanish
| Diver.

Cassell's Magazine.
"At the time l was at the bottom of the sea, )"
says Alfetto, Il was just about to signal to be
drawn up for a moments rest, when l noticed
a shadowy body moving at some distance above
me and toward me. In a momeLt every fish
had disappeared the very crustaceans lay
still upon the sand, and the cuttle-fsh 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 something, know not what A vague
horror seemed graspng after me, such as child
feels when entering a darkened room. BY
this time the shadow had come nearer and
take shape. 1t scarcely needed a glance to
show me that it was a man-eater, and one of the
largest size. Had signaled to be drawn up
then it would have been certain death. All 1
could do was to remain until it left. 1t lay off
twenty or twenty-five feet Just outside the rig
ging of the ship, its body motionless, its fms
barely stirring the water above 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 if it were pouring flames from its
eyes"
and mouth, and every movement of its fins and
tail seemed accompanied by a display of fire
works was sure the fish was thirty feet long
and so near that l could see its double row Of
white teeth. Involuntarlly shrank closer to
the side of the vessel But my first movement
betrayed my presence l saw the shining eyes
fixed on me; its tail quivered as it darted at me
like a streak of light. | shrank closer to the
side of the ship l saw it turn one side, its
mouth open, and heard the teeth snap
it darted by me. 1t had missed me, but only for
a moment The sweep of its mighty tail had
thrown me forward. l saw it turn, balance
itself and its tail quivered as it darted at me
again. There was no escape. 1t turned on its
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. 1t had me. I could
feel its teeth grinding on my copper breast
plate as it tried to bite me in two-fOr fortu-
nately it had caught me just across the middle,
where l was best protected. Having seized me
1t went tearing through the water l 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 some
how l felt no terror at all There was only
feeling of numbness / wondered
how long it would be before those teeth
were crushed through, and whether they would
strike first into my back or my breast Then
thought of Maggie and the baby, and won
dered who would take care of them, and il
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 crunching
and grinding npon my harness. Then felt the
cold water begin to pour i'll, and heard the oub-
ble bubble as the 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 float
ing away on rosy summer cloud, dream
ing the sounds of sweet music.
Then all became blank. The shark
might now have eaten me up at his leisure, and
| should have been none the wiser. Imagine my
establishment, then when l opened my eyes on
board and saw you fellows around me-" Alfetto
was found by his comrades few minutes after
the swapping of the line. He was picked up in
sensible, with several holes punched in the
metallic part Of his diving suit