The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-07-23
DROPPED INTO THE SEA.
A Boys Miraculous Escape from Savags
Ocean Vulturo.

Boys miraculous Escape from Savage
Ocean vulture.
An old sea captain says, in relating re-
cent incident in his experience to San,
Francisco EXAMINER reporter: Zone day
the mates son, q lad OF fifteen years, fell
overheard. A sailor named Banning leaped
into the water after him. The sea water in
this neighborhood is so cold that a man can
not live much longer than twenty-five Or
thirty minutes in it. The attention of every
man on board was given to the two men in
the water, but when one sailor raised his
eyes and saw an enormous bird making d.
rect for the boy he emitted cry Of terror,
which was joined in brewery one as soon as
they saw it. It did not resemble cloud,
nor did it carry a rock in Its talens, but it
was an enormous creature that no two men
would care to battle with under any cir
cumstances. When Banning raised his
eyes and saw the bird his first thought was
to turn around and make for the ship. Fear
took possession of him, and his strokes
grew less powerful. Seeing Banning's
danger James Gray jumped in after him.
Just as he reached the water the great
creature reached the boy, who was grow
ing very faint At first the bird seemed
undetermined what to do. It pecked at the
boy about the body, needing not the shouts
OF the sailors who sought to frighten it
away. 1t was some time before the boat
could be lowered, and by the time it was let
into the water and manned the boy had gone
down once His sudden disappearance sur
prised the bird, which was about to
turn its attention to Banning, when the
boy came to the surface again. ran
to my cabin and returned with
rifle to shoot the bird should it grow
ugly. When 1 got OH deck the grst thing
l saw was the strange creature rislpl
into the air with the boy. and It's mate
which suddenly appeared. almost as large
was attacking Banning. He was on hr.
back, lodging the beaa Of his adversary art
swimming toward the vessel with all his
might. was never more excited in my
life. hardly knew what TO do The boy
was being carried away and was up thirty
or forty feet IN the air Shoot the ord.
yelled the mate, running ABOUT the deck
like crazy man and Sion; ins a, tic top of
his voice orders that We're G~t obcyed In
shooting l, Of course. ran the risk of killing
the boy instead OF the big bird, II. indeed.
he was not Killed by the fail i,:t ti:cre was
not much time TO think Ct tti;;; the bird was
still rising. and. after II has.y aim, I fired.
1t was an excellent shot. A wing fell hello
less. as il l had broken it. and the bird
tulnbled down into the the water. the
second bird. when it saw the boat approach,
left Banning and made q fierce attack on
ono Oh the boatmcn, striking hi..l- with its
foot blow that fellcl him to tho bottom of
the boat. Another Of the crew raised an
oar and hit the bird with all his light,
when it few away Banning. GRAY and the
boy wcrc picked up. The latter was un.
conscious, but after good rubbing he was
brought TO. Banning was bleeding about
the face. AID more Or less injured about the
body. The wounded bird fought vlciously
when an attempt was made to capture 1t.
1t was finally lassocd and taken on board.
Three weeks aftcrward it died The bow
said that before he went down he felt him
self losing consciousness and grabbed at
the enormous bird that was lowering over
him. He caught Its feet and held on with
the grip of drowning man. He partially
regained his sense in the air, but thought
he was higher up than he really was and
did not dare to let CO."