The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-09-21
AN OCEAN TRAGEDY.
MtTE'S AWFUL ADVENTURE
ON THE NORTH PACIFIC.
Between Two Desperate Mutineers
and Ravenous Shark-Saved By
His Murdered Captain.

rpctHtlN 'i man NllDSc ltIIllDlc tADerl-
ences in the North Pacific Ocean equal
those of Robinson Crusoe. This gentle
man was y. G. Marks, sea captain, en-
route from Portland, Ore. to the At
lantic coast, and the story as heard from
his own lips is as follows:
81 was wrecked on the coast of Brit
ish Columbia during the terrible gale
which recently swept from one end to
the other of the Pacific coast, and am
now on my way to report to the owners
Of the ship and cargo. She was whaler
named the Blanche Buckingham, and
hailed from the Pelican Inlet, on the
coast of Maine. We sailed from port
nearly three years ago with crew of
eleven, besides tie Captain and two
mates. was the first mate. The Cap
tain was an old whaler named Can't.
LEROY Aubrey, and he has been tine
friend of my lifetime. After striking the
whaling 6 ounds We had excellent luck,
and were slowing away considerable oil.
Everything on board was peaceable,
with the exception of two men, who had
hard feeling tor the captain, and con-
Quoted themselves in such a manner as
to cause them to be thrown into irons
upon two occasions. Upon the last oc-
casion they seemed to have repented and
promised better behavior. and every one
supposed all trouble had been settled.
Some two months ago we were off
the coast of British Columbia, some eco
miles from land, and one day when |
was out with nine of the crew in two
yawls, one of my crew noticed signal
being worked from the mainmast
rigging. 1t was evidently one of dis
tress, and i at once FASTENED toward the
ship. 1t was little after midday. NV
mind was filled with forebodings, for
remained on board with the two men |
have spoken of and the cook. AS We
neared the ship the man i'll the rigging
proved to be the second mate, who
warned Us not to come alongside, and
sail the two men had killed the Cap
tain, and that he had only saved his own
life 10y springing into the rigging armed
with harpoon, which prevented the
murderers from following him. The
cook was threatened, but begged for his
life, and had been secured in the cabin.
Ny first thought was to board the ship,
but tie mate told me the men We're
crouched on deck, armed with harpoons,
so withdrew.
waiting until after dark, I rowed to
within a short distance of the ship, and
removing all my clothing. | armed my
self with meat knife, slipped into the
water, and struck out for the ship. All
the firearms on board We're locked in
strong iron-bound box, the only key of
which | had in my possession. l intend
ed swimming to her, climb upon the
rudder, secure the pistols, and either
capture or kill the murderers.
Il had succeeded in swimming about
100 yards from the yawl, when my heart
was almost paralyZcd with horror as l
became aware of the presence of Il shark.
lcOuld hear him rushing toward me,
his dorsal tin c,eaving the water like n
streak. The horror of a terrible death
cept over me, and in an instant L
seemed to live an age of suspense.
Quickly drawing my knife, and as | felt
the swell on the water which preceded
the mons er. l gathered myself for
desperate attempt to dive, which was
successfully done, and the huge form
shot over me like flash far out into the
depths beyond The ship was only
few yards distant, and | realized it was
a fight for life. l was desperately
vedged between two foes, which L knew
to be equally dangerous.
''If cried to the mutinOus seamen
aboard, they might refuse me assistance,
and if not, would perhaps save me only
to be butchered To escape the shark
vas next to an impossibility, which l
recognized as l heard the baifled mon
ster making the water boil as he turned
to renew the attack. | realized it would
be but an instant before the man eater
would be upon me again, and L fairly
threw my body out OF the water in max
ING such strenuous efforts to gain the
ships rudler. l could again hear that
chilling sound like the cold cutting OF
knife through the wafer. | felt the
swell of the monster behind me, and
every fibre i'll my body was struggling
to escape. My breath was suspended,
and my eyes seemed springinG from
their sockets trying to measure the dis
ance to the place of safety. All at
once the near approach of the tsh
alled me with the horror of failure, and
turned to meet it with the knife which
! carried in my teeth, when a heavy
body shot over me into the sea, and
vas nearly drawn into the vortex.
heard the stee-like jaws Of the monster
close upon and crush the unknown OBJ
Jet as | grasped the rudder, and, almost
SsnselesS, yielded to relaxation. don't
Know how long l lay there, and never
an infant, pillowed against its mothers
BOSOM, rested more sweetly than |. 1t
vas a moment Ct peace with all the
World, and my entire being seemed