Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-04-10
SPANISH FERoCITY.
Cuban Insurgent Prisoners Thrown Into a
Nest OF Sharks


On the coast Of the Santa Clara pro-
vince IN Cuba, just a little south of Cape
Maysi on the extreme eastern end of the
great island, where the shore is high
and shelving, there are many caverns
extending far up under the lard, says the
Boston Courier
have often. seen them while steaming
close. along the Cuban shore, bound down
the WIndward Passage, toward jamaica.
1hese caVerns honey-comb the shores for
miles, ana are supposed to have been
produced by the ceaseless beating Of the
waves curing many centuries.
1ney are favorite lurking places for the
ma1S-eating Sharks that infest these wat
ers. One Of these caves. a few miles
east OF Baracoa, is of unusual size and
'r Is related that an Engl shman while
hshfng in an open boat off shore one day,
seeing the cavern, steered his boat into
aU 10 escape The burning heat of the
tropical sun. Finding good fishing there,
ne enjoyed the sport until tired of it,
"hen, having no fear of being imprisoned
oy the tide, which is so slight as to be
ainperceptlple in the Caribbean. he pushed
MS boat still further into the cave in
'ehding to explore it to the end. He had
'Uu gone 1ar before the boat was nearly
capslzed by a tremendous shock from
beneath. Immediately following the shock
the water begam to boil and foam around
MN, and the boat was attacked from
an Sides He was not long in discovering
mat tho water in the cavern was liter
ally alive with sharks. They fercely
continued to attack the boat, ramming
1t with their noses. ana making frequent
efforts to spring over the gunwale
Frightened nearly out OF his wits. and
expecting momentarily that the boat
would be overturned ana that ne would
be overturned, and them torn to
pieces by he sharks, he enGeavored
TO push his boat back toward the
opening, but, in his excitement and
on account Of the rocking of the boat as
The sharks shot under and around it,
he dropped both his oars Nothing re-
maine0 now but TO try to work the boat
back toward the opening by pushing with
MS hands against the roof of the cavern,
which ne could just reach; but he soon
discovered that, as he moved toward the
entrance, after going O few feet. he
would be unable to reach the roof. Then,
IN sheer desperation, he began to push
the boat further into the cave, the sharks
all the time pounding at the bottom of
the boat and making the water boil
around 1t. AS he advanced into the cave
the boat came nearer to the roof until
the gunwales gcraped against it as he
pushed it along. StiH he continued push
ing with his hands against the roof. not
Knowing what minute he might reach
the limit of the cavern ard find himself
q, prisoner unable TO go either forward
or back, and at the mercy of the man
caters.
But the boat continued 10 move, until
suddenly light appeared ahead and
I'm a moment he was out in the bright
sunshine. The boat floated in a circular
pool. and the ground rose all around him.
steep banks, 20 feet high. The pool was
at the bottom Of the huge bank. Springing
from the boat he rantup the bank, over
1oyed to escape from his perilous posi-
ton.
A league to the eastward of Baracoa.
about two years ago an insurgent band
of Cubans had met a company of Spanish
guerillas, and had been repulsed. Several
of the Cubans were taken prisoners. and
the 1guerillas were about to machete
them, when one of them, next to the chief
IN command, said: Let us throw the
Cuban vernin into the den of sharks:
for macheting is too good for the dogs"
A murmuring assent arose from the cruel
gang. and the Cuban prisoners were
forthwith marched, bound, to the brink of
the pool. Their legs We're firmly bound.
their arms being tied behind their backs,
and one by one they were pushed into the
pool The instant the first victim struck
the water a swift swirl encrcled him,