The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-03-03

demonstration, even at the peril Of being
overheard on board the schooner, and,
getting out the oars, we punched and
jabbed with all our might. As soon as
we got well out from the land the wind
bore us along at n faster pace, but the
sharks were not to be left behind. II
there was one there were 200. They bit
at the oars and splintered the blades, and
Il the men on the schooner had not been
over tired they must have been awakened
by the row.
We had drifted perhaps two miles
when a terrible thing happened. We
two sat on one thwart Bill minding one
side and the other He was bending
over the rail, punching every shark
within reach. when heard a scream. and
turned my head in time to see him pulled
overheard A shark had jumped far
enough out of water to seize him. There
was terrible commotion in the water for
few minutes, every fish anxious to Sc
cure a morsel, and for a time | was en-
tire neglected and driving along alone
By and by three or four sharks came
after me, but they no longer attacked the
boat, nor did the number increase.
When had got my nerve back put
the best oar over the stern and sculled
away, keeping to the northwest, nor did
| rest beyond a few minutes at a time
until daylight came. was then entirely
uut of sight of the schooner, and making
good pace of it. | saw half dozen
coasters ON the bay, but made no signals.
The Louisiana coast was in full sight, and
preferred driving ashore to being picked
up. 1 knew how the coasters felt toward
wreckers, and if were picked up, my
story would probably land me in the
courts.
Soon after noon I fetched the shore in
bit of a bay. but [ soon realized that l
was no better off than out at sea. l was
hungry and thirsty, but there was neither
fresh water nor food. l sculled all
around the bay in search of creek, but
found none, but toward evening a
smart shower came up, and a
gallon or so of fresh water was caught
in the boat. 1t was full of filth when
1 came to drink it, but it relieved
my burning thirst and put new life into
me. Shortly after that found a dead duck
floating on the water did not stop to
investigate its condition, but stripped off
a part of the feathers and cut out and ate
a large portion of the raw meat.
AS the shores were dense canebrakes,
through which could make no progress.
I tied the boat up for the night and went
to sleep, but darkness had only fairly set
in when the mosquitoes came down upon
me by the million. Sleep was out of the
question. Indeed, within an hour l was
obliged to scull the boat out into the
bay against smart sea rolling in, and
hold her there by hard work to keep
from being devoured alive. Whenever
would let up for a few minutes, over
come by want of sleep, the boat would
drift back and the pests would attack
me, until 1 found them in my mouth.
After midnight the wind came up so
briskly that the mosquitoes could no
/ longer come out of the swamp at me,
but new danger arose. had no thought
of alligators until, as the boat rested
against the reeds, a monster reptile rose
up and clashed his jaws over the stern.
/ In two minutes there were three or four
swimming about me, and Others were
/ thrashing around in the swamp. From
that time until daylight 1 had to shout,
splash the water, and keep moving from
one end of the boat to the other to
frighten my enemies away, and it seemed
as if 1 lived a month in those few hours.
AS day broke the wind changed off the
land, and drove with it out of the bay.
1 was hardly out before an oyster
schooner picked me up, and in a couple
of days was safely landed in New Or
leans. When the captain asked for my
story 1 offered him the yawl as a free
gift in place of any explanation, and he
accepted it, and did not ask another
question. .-NelO York San.