The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-03-20

casts lnA othst looes noatins a.t,siss
which had escarsd from tho boat
A man near re col ling Tor assistanco,
pushed On oar to him, which he
grasped, and shen, seeing that he was
now able to care tor himself, I SWAN to
the boat, intending to get ON top Of her
astride the keel. Upon reaching ner,
found that she was held in one position
BY her anchor which had dropped out
and caught in the bottom when she was
overturned. There were four or five Of
the men, Tom among them, hanging on
to the boat, and I shouted to them to try
and cut the anchor.rope 70 that fshe
might drifs into smoother water, and
also to get hold Of the painter and lead
it along aft over the bottom Of the boat
so that we might have something to
hold on by.
Meanwhile, the seas dashed over the
entire length Of the boat. sweeping me
of several times and washing me astern,
so that, owing to the current caused BY,
the tide running in, lit was with the uta
most difficulty that could regain my
precarious hold upon the beat. Finally
perceiving that i was fast losing my
strength. abandoned all effort to cling
to the boat, and drifted away with the
tide. only exerting myself sufficiently
to keep my head above water. Just
then Tom, who was an excellent swim
mer, came near me and called out:
Are you all right? Can you take
care Of yourself?"
Yves, guess l can keep afloat" I re-
piled. ,.------s -,.,~~ s-e.,~
every well, I'll stay by you in case
you should want help" Tom said, and
then drifted along with ne. At his
suggestion commenced to pull of my
clothes to relieve myself of their addi-
tional weight, when suddenly felt a
rushing and swirling Of the waters
around me. then heard brief, agonized,
cry. and turning quickly, saw the huge
dorsal fin with the white streak across
it where my bullet had creased it, and
tho notified back Of the "Old Commo-
dore" vanishing beneath the waves.
The sight of the monster filled me with
terror and apprehension. was almost
paralyzed with fear. Whose was the
cry had heard? 1 looked around for
Tom, but could not see hi-,.
tom! Toni shouted, but received
no response. An intense feeling of lone
illness oppressed me. Slowly it dawned
upon me that Tom had left me forever.
1t was his last cry that l had heard. His
prophecy had come true. The ''Old
Commodore'' had at last got the man
he was waiting fo-." At first NY grief
overcame me to the exclusion of all
o.her feelings. Then gradually: was
brought back to a realizing sense of my
own situation. What would be come Of
me? Suppose the shark should return
for another victim. The sLspe nse was
terrible, and wonder that in nv despair
made any further efforts for my own
safety.
What happened afterward, or how
long was in the water, l know not
have faint recollection of crawling up
on sandy beach above the water-line,
and then lost consciousness. When
recovered my senses I was lying in my
berth, on board of the vessel, on my
face, with my back so burned and Bills
tered by the sun that was unable to
lie in any other position for days.
learned that the accident had been OBJ
served from the vessel, and the gig i'm
mediately sent in, which picked up the
cutter with three men clinging to her,
and then pulling up the channel in
search of the others, had found me lying
insensible upon the beach at the south
point of the inlet, completely Invested
of clothing, and exposed to the scorch-
ing rays of the sun. The bodies of the
five other men were never recovered.
In view of the sad circumstances at
tending the death of poor Tom, is it any
wonder that my antipathy to sharks is
so great that never lose an opportunity
to destroy one whenever it occurs?
Poor Tom! Unselfish and self-sacri-
ficing, his last thought had been for my.
safety.-L:eutenant F. H. Newcomb. in
N. Y. Ledger.