The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1893-05-06
IN a A r JAWS.
A Sailor Who Is Glad lie Brought Some
Himself Home From Sea.

A Sailor Who Is Glad lie Brought Some of
Himself Home From Sea.
Charles Barclay was an able seaman
when he left New London two years
ago on the ship Vesper for a cruise after
seal in the South Atlantic. When he
returned he had no legs at all and was
minus one arm He was very lucky to
have brought as much of himself back
as he did, and seemed to be happy over
it.
He was aloft one day doing some
work that nccessitated his going to the
end of of the yardarlns, and be
coming suddenly dizzy fell into the sea.
The plunge cured his vertigo, and he
Immediately began to swim after the
shore, but it took several minutes to
get out a boat and man it, and though
he was a good swimmer he was
nearly a mile astern before the
BOAT started for him. AS il reared
him the sailors saw the fin of a
gigantic shark cutting the water a few
rods away, making straight for BAR
clay. Then they made the boat leap
through the water, but the shark was
quicker than the boat, and while they
were yet twenty feet away turned and
opened its great jaws to swallow the
man. One of the sailors threw him a
harpoon line, which Barclay seized just
as the jaws of the shark compassed his
legs. The sailors pulled Justify on the
line and actully drew the man out of
the monsters mouth, but not before the
sharp teeth of tbs fish had scraped
nearly all the flesh off one leg and COM
pletely severed the other.
Barclay was taken aboard the ship,
where he displayed most remarkable
nerve. lie insisted that the bones of
his left leg from which the flesh had
been stripped be cut off at once. The
captain finally consented to do the job
himself The nearest approach to sur
gical instruments on the ship was a fine
toothed saw used in cutting whalebone,
and half a dozen sharp knives. When
the bones were severed the wounds
were dressed as well as the means at
hand would permit, and Barclay was
made as comfortable as possible. The
next day n fever set in, and Barclay be-
came delirious, and on the second day
apparently died. A couple of sailors
were detailed to sew the body in can
vas. They began their work, but they
had been al it but a short time when
they rushed out of the forecastle with
frightened faces and told the mate that
Barclay was alive.
The captain went below to investi-
gate and found Barclay cursing the
sailors for trying to get rid of him by
burying him alive. From that hour he
began to mend, and in six months he
was able to move around the deck by
mea of his arms.
The sailors n day brought aboard
the ship a live seal hat they proposed
to tame. Barclay undertook the job of
disciplining the seal, and his temper
would at times get the best of him and
the seal would suffer.
The animal evidently remembered
this treatment and kept his eyes open
for an opportunity to retaliate, One
day Barclay passed near the seal. The
animal struck at the sailor and gave
him ii fearful bite on the arm.
The seal lost his life by the act and
Barclay had a close call. As it was, it
became necessary to cut off the bitten
member, and Barclays means of loco
motion were cut down to one arm.-N.
y. Advertiser.