The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-06-29
I'm the midst of this exhilaratine
squirt pulled up suddenly.

"ln the midst of this exhilaratinc
squirt pulled up suddenly.
AS II it had instantly materializef
from the sea water, was face tc face
with gigantic shark. i quickly re
membered, however, that while naked
native divers are occasionally dev CURED
by these demons of the deep, they
never attack the armored diver.
Indeed! | fancy now that the sharl,
was quite as startled as the diver. for
after second he wheeled and g1ided
Oft to one side.
AS l started on once more was
stopped second time, not by an OBJ.
stacie before, but by sharp pull on
the air pipe behind my helmet, which
1erked me over sprawling on my back.
My first thought was that the shark
had attacked me In the rear, but on
scrambling to my feet and facing about
! saw that the air.pipe, which, in my
nrst sudden stop, had probably slack
ened till II. lay on the bottom, was ap-
parently caught against some protrud.
ing object
fastened bask to release It, when,
to my surprise, / found 1t held fast be.
tween the shells of giant clam.
Il gave the stout wire-lined tubing a
twitch. then a strong pull, bracing nv
feet against the great biyalve. Then
clutched the rims of the shell and
strove to separat them.
But the vise-like jaws were relent-
less. As easily l might have rended
granite ledge at some seam in its
center
Then l turned to the lifeline to sig
nal the tender in the boat. As did so
saw that 1t, too, had become slack,
and was tangled in branching coral.
dashed forward to disengage 1t, but
before Preached 1t 1 was again twitched
backward by the air-pipe.
Then, for the first time, realized
the full significance of the situation.
MY air supply was stopped, commune
cation with the upper world cut off,
and /, Jack Ballantine, in all the vigo,
OF young manhood, chained to nv
death at the bottom of Torres strait.
And now sudden sense of suffoca-
ton warned me that my struggle was
limited to seconds.
I'm fash of memory recalled the
tale OF one like disaster, where the
liver cnt his air-tube with dash freed
lis lifeline, and was drawn up half
lead. But had no knife; in that sud.
len backward fall had lost hold of it.
Then, as lifted my eyes in a last
iespairiDg search for succor, beheld,
'esting in the branching coral before
ne-and to this day l marvel at the
miracle of tan iron bar, pointed at
ne end-a veritable crowbar.
I'm an instant l was prying at tia
avs OF the giant clam, with the lever .
ge OF the bar and the strength of des-
GRAFTON. For suffocating momept
De struggle was unava ling. then ono
IN split away and the pipe was free.
Il turned toward the lifeline, stag.
cred and fell across it, insensiblel
Il suppose the weight Of my falling .
ody gave the line the one jerk which d
as the signal to the tender to pull n
p. Anyway, the tender got the sig Z
II, and the next knew was living 7
the deck of the lugger, the old Nam .
exeter on his knees at my side, aud r
the scared crew standing about" "
Truly most extraordinary tale, as o
ell as a terrible experience" ex- K
aimed, as Ballantine ended his story. a
I'd the waiter brought on the dessert. W
That crowbar, for instance, is q strain b
an everyday businessman's creduli- is
;" and l looked past my friends face I,
the bronze face of Franklin across n
e street. =,
And yet 1t Is only another instance d.
truth stranger than fiction" assert re
Ballantine. why. the first time O,
e old Nantucketer have mentioned I,
mt down, on recovering from the d,
re OF sudden descent, he saw in a n
otch OF the coral before him a bottle h,
pale ale, and If a beer, why not a te
DIV bar?"-BOston Globe -