The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-07
CHASED BY A SHARK.
A Sailor Escapes With His Life,
Though Losing a Foot.
A Breathless Crowd Watch His Frantic Efforts
to Escape and Dare Not Shoot for
Fear Of Hitting the Man.

Johann Christesen, Swedish sailor en-
ployed as a deck-hand on board the fruit
schooner Nancy Bohm, plying between
Mobile and Tampico, Mexico. was recently
the hero of an adventure with large shark
in which the man narrowly escaped with
his lite, though losing foot. Christesen
was amusing himself upon the wharf OF the
Mobile Steamship Company by playing
with little dog, which he kept sending
into the water after sticks and bits of paper.
One Of these being thrown further than
usual, the spaniel, in bringing it out, ven-
tured into the deeper water, and the next
moment large dark shape rose from
the shadow OF the wharf and made
break for the dog. The intelligent Great
ure, seeing his danger, turned in
stantly and made for the shore, ChrlsteSen
encouraging it with cries. The shark find
ing itself out of its depth seemed to grow
bewildered, but chased the dog closely, every
now and then endeavOrlng to turn over up
on its back 1t finally succeeded i'll this ami
made snap at the spaniel, which was fairly
dragged from the water by Chrstesen, who
waded out as far as he dared. lie would
have easily made the shore. when his foot
ing gave way and he fell forward on his
face in the water. He says the shark passed
clear over him as lie lay for moment strug-
Cling to right himself. The sand, however,
afforded him but little support and seeing
his terrible enemy return he made for the
deeper water, swimming as rapidly as pos
slble. His object was to reach the pile of
the wharing and to climb TO one OF the
beams but before lie could lay hold upon
the timbers the shark was upon him.
An expert swimmer, the sailor diVed
to the bottom, followed by the ocean wolf.
which was at the disadvantage OF being in
water so shallow as to greatly i'm pede nj
movements, and it is to this alone that
Chrstesen owed his life. Dodging the
sharks rush, he struck out for the shore,
but seeing that the animal was close upon
him, again dived. BY this time q large
crowd had gathered on the wharf and shore,
watching the scene with GREATNESS inter-
est and suggesting various impossible
schemes of rescue for the imperiled man.
But no one dared fire upon the shark for
fear OF hitting the Swede instead, and the
only aid that could be given was TO throw
ropes 10 Christesen, who was beginning to
show signs OF great exhaustion. A stain OF
blood soon Mortified the beholders.
on the surface of the water il was
seen that his right foot had been
completely severed close to the ankle
He was bleeding profusely and swimming
with difficulty, while the shark followed
only a few feet behind. he succeeded. how
ever, in reaching the end of the rope thrown
to him, and laying hold of this was quickly
drawn to land, where he tainted. The shark
seeing his prey escape, turned about and
WAS making for the gulf, when dozen
shots struck the water about him. 1t was
not known, however, whether or not he was
struck, for sinking instantly he was seen no
more. but early on the following morning
his carcass was found stranded on the beach
a mile or two below the city. lie measured
nearly twelve feet in length and was of the
species known as the "hammer-headed
shark" a variety rarely found out of the
Indian Ocean, but which sometimes migrate
in large numbers. Christesen's wound WAS
considered a very dangerous one and seri-
Gus fears were entertained for his life, but
he is recovering slowly.-Mobile special to
Globe-Democrat.