The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-02-05

pulling the dory up closer with the
other, / waited for him to rise again.
l saw his spiny dorsal fin come up
above the water right beside me- Grip
ping the oar in both hands, and with
one foot up OH the gunwale, l jabbed
the knife pointed oar down at him
with all my might.
1.-THE big, sharp blade landed, but it
struck his hard, bony head glanc-
ing blow, and off it shot to one side
into the water. lost my balance with
the force of the blow, and felt the
water and fish in my dory list to one
side. l jumped across to the other
rail, in an attempt to right the boat.
Il was too late. The gunwale of
the dory had gone under, shipping bar
rels of water, and l pitched headlong
overheard almost on top of the thrash
ing fish. Then down shot, feet first,
beneath the water.
Il started to kick myself UP to the
surface again the moment felt my
self stop going down; but was fouled
in the net Every kick made I could
feel the soft, clinging meshes tangling
round my feet.
L tried to draw my feet out of my
loose rubber boots, and did get them
half way out; but the soft folds of the
net had wrapped themselves round my
legs above, and held me there fast.
The want of air began to affect me.
Running my fingers into the
meshes up above my head, l tried to
pull myself up to the head rope on top
of the water. Straight up for a
fathom I went; then seemed to be
sinking back again when the weighted
foot rope drew tight on my feet. The
corks seemed to be coming down to
me, instead of my going up to them.
began to feel my strength going fast.
The terrible force Of the air gathered
in my lungs seemed ready to burst
them open. My hands struck the hard
head rope, then UP bobbed my head
above the surface.
81 had been going up all the time,
although l seemed to be standing still.
II opened my eyes when l felt the
warm air against my face. But had
no sooner taken a good breath of air
than l felt a terrible Jolt against the
side of my head, and then followed a
rush of blows and splashes in my face.
'The blow against the side of my
head stunned me for second, and
became so confused that / almost let
go my hold on the head rope. l had
no chance to call for help.
my feet were fouled in the net
almost directly below the fish. could
feel his big nose butting against my
back; then, in his thrashing round,
his broad, fiat tail would slap against
my head, and knock me about like a
floating thole pin. l began to take in
big mouthfuls of water every time my
head went under.
Il tried to draw myself along the
head rope out of his reach, but I'd no
sooner start ahead than the net about
my feet would draw tight and pull me
back. I'd be drawn back against the
fish again, and he'd begin another fit
of rushing and thrashing.
my strength was going fast. Three
tiAhOo WAL uhoOAs iIoNl tiihO ~
seemed longer and longer before
rose TO the surface again and got a
breath of fresh air.
when I bobbed to the surface the
third time l began to shout with all
my might in the hope of getting help
from the vessel. l shouted once; then
taking long breath, l roared out
again with all my might But before
the shout had fairly left my lips a
blow came against the side of my
head, and over I went and down, the
powerful tail beating and slashing
against me.
II felt the slackened folds of net
begin to wave back and forth across
, my face, then over my head the cut
ting twine began to draw. With anoth-
err desperate lunge of the fish the net
shot down across my shoulders, and
drew tight across my arms, until l lay
in a fold, with the tneshes drawing
tighter and tighter all the time.
Il couldn't move either arms or
legs, and lay there helpless beneath
the water, knowing that every twitch
and tug the fish made was binding me
tighter and tighter in the folds Of
twine.
Il felt terrible compression in my
chest. began to lunge with my arms
and struggle to get free, but not a
mesh gave. l felt another blow from
the fish and a strong tug en- the net
Then my head began to vhirl round,
and heard singing in my ears.
Everything grew dark. Then felt
my throat fill all at ore, and with a
jump the water began 10 rush down
into my lungs. and l tainted dead
away.
Then dull, heavy blow came
against my head, and l felt it scrap
ing along something hard which was
moving above it. | moment later up
shot. and the rush of warm air
against my face and the release from
the binding pressure told me was on