The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-12-29

and Others in his leg, and told him he
was fatally wounded.
at was so written" he calmly replied.
''Be so kind as to finish me-"
"kill you"
Certainly. l would do as well by
you"
''But cannot do it."
"Then | will. | waited for morning
in hopes my friends would kill you, but
as they have not, and as all must die,
will go first"
He had his naked knife in his hand,
and before l could move to prevent he
drew it across his throat, and two min
utes later was dead. We now had the
living TO look out for. As told you, it
was only about sixty feet across the rip,
and we could look right into their eyes.
\ more bloodthirsty dozen could not
have been scraped together in the East.
Had they been humbled by the situa-
ton l should have at least hoped to see
them get away, but they were not. On
the contrary, they were brazen and de-
fant. AS soon as they saw us moving
they uttered shouts Of defiance and
brandished their knives, and because
we did not begin shooting they tainted
us with cowardice.
Just what steps to take l did not
know. stood guard while my COM
panion prepared breakfast, but there
was little fear of any of them crossing
the channel. The sharks had come in
until they actually crowded each other,
and out beyond the surf we could see
their dorsal fins by the score. The ma
tives saw the situation in all its dangers,
but they continued defiant. called to
ask them why they had attacked us, as
we had done them no harm and were not
trespassing on their domain, and the
leader shouted back:
"Iou are dog, You are not fit to
live. Yes, you are dog and coward
have wet my hands in the blood of half
a hundred white-faced dogs, and l am
only sorry that | haven't your heart to
throw to these fishesr'
"Well, what are you going to dol" I
asked as l choked back my anger
what is it to you, dog? Come, You
are coward. Now that it is daylight
you tremble before us aud dare not
shoot; Ha! | believe you will run
away"
My companion was for killing them off |
at once, but was more merciful. While |
knew they thirsted for my blood, and |
would Kill me if they got the chance, it |
seemed awful to shoot them down in |
their helpless situation. After breakfast |
we sat down opposite them with our
guns in our hands, when those who had |
knives began to flourish them, and their |
~
worked himself up to such "a pitch of |
anger that he threw his knife across at
ne. 1t came whirlng and whistling
through the air and entered the sand
beside me. | replied with a snap shot |
which stretched him dead. His fall
'nly enraged the Others. and | had
carcely finished reloading when my
said:
Take care, They az, going to try
md swim the channel"
They scattered along the bar it's full
ength, like skirmishers going to tine
ront, and at a given signal all sprang
nto the water. Had there been no
harks we could have answered for
very black head crossing the channel
1y spreading out they hoped to distract
he attention of the monsters, and
that portion of them would
Jet over to attack US. But there were
90 many sharks. For about five
minutes the sight was terrible. 1t seemed
S If there were three or four sharks for
very victim, and they fought over the
east like SO many tigers. Not a man
lved to make twenty strokes toward us.
n ten minutes after fired my shot we
we're rid of the whole gang and ready to
esume our labors, nor were we ANNOYED
gain before the schooner took us off,
VEG YORK .SuH.