The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-07-04


quarterl" AT the same instant Tiller,
preceiving oui danger, Numbered,
'Iarboard, hard-ease off there, lar
board harder, for Gods sake, down."
but the poor coxswain, startled by the
i'll timed warning from the other boat
and conscious OF the terrible situation
in which we were, lost for a moment
all command of his faculties, and be-
fore he could regain them sufficiently
wave struck us full on our broadside
and in another instant, with a wild
cry of horror, we found ourselves strug-
Cling in the surf.
When rose to the surface | struck
out boldly, but shall never forget the
sight that met my eyes. The boat was
already broken in pieces and the frag-
! ments tossing about, while the crew
were struggling here and there in the
breakers. A poor fellow was Just a.
head of me, buffeting with the waves,
his agonized look fixed on a huge
shark that lay cycling him just without
the surf, He screamed for succer, but
il was in vain. The current was grad
ually sweeping him nearer to his terri
BILE enemy. The other boat ventured
as near as it could, but it woul | have
been madness to approach nearer.
Suddenly he gave quick, shrill shriek
| flung his arms upward and sank. The
next instant the blood red hue of the
surface told the fearful cause.
As for myself, l struck desperately
for the shore, and being good swim
mer as loug as | could command my
faculties l knew / had some chance of
reaching land. had turned in order
to escape the current and fad a place
where the surf rolledin less frightfully,
when heard faint cry, and saw lit
tie Harry struggling not two fathons
off. He seemed almost exhausted, and
was barely able to keep his head above
water.
"For the love of heaven" he cried,
"Frank-herel" But as l swan. to-
wards him the noble boy exclaimed:
"No! Save yourself-I'm nearly gone
Am getting weak-tell mother and
Fanny | died thinking of them.
"Courage! shouted; '1'll be there
in minute-hold on, my brave lad!"
and | strained every nerve to reach
him, but the current was powerful that
it baffle1 my efforts. One while the
surf would sweep us far apart, and
again dash US almost to gether. /
saw, however, that | gradually neared
the gallant little fellow.
The crew of the boat outside bent to
their oars, determined at all risks to
secure us, when suddenly there was a
cry,, "The shark! the sharkW And
the huge monster shot along not
twenty yards off between us and our
only hope, the boat. My brain reel4d
as | looked. The boat was rapidly
approaching, but the surf was too wild
to suffer it to come near where we
were, and between US the frightful
monster was sailing to and fro, wait.
! in for TIE tide TO sweep us out.
Tm going, Frank; can't stand i,
! any longer. Oh, my poor mother and
sister God forgive mo my SINS faint
= ly said the boy.
"Hold on a minute, for heaven,
, sake?' 1 cried, for l was already with
. III yard or two of him.
"Hold on!" Numbered the lieutenau
9 from the boat; ''we'll be there if we di,
7 for it-give way, lads, for life, hurrah!'
r But poor little Harry had held OIL
h until nature was compile ely worn ou
t and casting wild look on all arount
d he family calculated, "My mother
e sister-oh, my God!' aud then, with
n convulsive jerk of his arms, sank lik
e lead into the waters. The next mon
J. ent l would have been by his side.
: "Give way! Give wayl Give way!
g roared the lieutenant, wildly, as h
y waved on his men.
d "For Gods sake, come on quick!"
% shouted as | dived.
Q But alas! my search was unsuccessful
n and when rose to the surface | wa
l. far away from the spot where Harr
}. had disappeared and nearing wit
a frightful rapidity the shark on tn
IL edge of the surf. The boat was y,
too distant to promise any effectiy
N aid. | shall never forget the emotion
a. of that instant. A sickening sensatio
q came over me; my brain reeled, m
ie joints grew weak and my arms SCENE
+ to refuse their duty. The monst,
r was now nearly at my side. | couI
-, see his great fms appearing and disa
! pearing, and almost feel the lashing
lg his huge tail as it beat against Il
We waters. | gave up all my hope of tn
world and all l loved, and shut II
ne eyes upon my terrible enemy as bre
e, thed silent prayer for mercy to Go
A moIHent that seemed years ensued
u moment of torture more horrit
ev than any ever had conceived-wh
IS. a loud, sharp cry rang out just behil
We me, and at the same instant a coil
an rope fell beside me as a voice call
ch out in broken English, "Hold on!"
70 Clutching the cord mechanically,
l." felt myself drawn rapidly in amo
be the breakers, while the enormous me
mn ster, preceiving he was going to
disappointed of his prey, struck t
waves wildly with his tail, aud dash
"a, like lightning after me,
no an with him, hand over han,
Dal shouted a voice, and felt myself j
al ked into one of the boats common
.ed the coast. At thesame instant thl
70 derlng cheer rung from the crew o
q side the surf. Forgetful of everythi
,be but my wondeful preservation | fell
my knees and thanked God l v
alive.
iii. When looked again, l saw we W
ose riding in upon the surf and the shi
;tb had sheered out to sea. We W
,ev soon landed, and | then learned
ass manner of my deliverience. Hav
ow been seen, boat had been pat off
our rescue, and had already taken
several of our crew, when they
81; on covered me struggling against the c
~, ~, rent Had | not been engaged In
,o,' 20 deavoring to save poor Harry l wo
od have noticed their approach soor
eu, As it was four of our crew were los,
as The poor boy, thank God was Wa