The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-07-22
SWIMMERS DUEL WITH SHARKS

Attacked by. Two Monsters at Once,
 HeFought His Way to Life with a
 Knife
 Professor John T. Clark the famous swimmer, who has been doing aquatic stunts since 1853, at one time in his career came very near to serving as a meal for two husky. full grown sharks, and, although the professors encounter with the ocean hyenas happened over twenty years ago, the whole business is still fresh in. his memory, and the impression is so indelibe that it will go; with him to his grave. ~, ~
 Professor Clark is talkative when the subject under discussion touches swimming or has to do with the sea, and, conversing on his facorite topic with a reporter a few nights ago, he told the shark story and handed out a few other thrilling "reminiscences along with It.
 Did I ever run against a shark in swimming?" and the professor. re- peated the newspaper mans question, took on an air of animation, the sign Wit him that a yarn was forthcoming. | Well, should say I dod. Met two at one time, ripped one of them open, and narrowly escaped being snapped in two by the jaws of the other.
 T was in Pensacola in 1882, and con- tracted to give public exhibition in 1 the bay, at point near Washington Navy Yard. was to be sewed up in a big sack, heavily weighed with sand, and thrown into the water, and I promised to cut myself out with a knife and gain the surface in a few moments time, and the papers talk ing about the event got the interest of the people thoroughly aroused. l 1T knew that I could do the trick all right and had no fears of drowning, but when the landlord of the hotel 4 where I stopped began to talk about the sharks in the bay, and told me of several people who had been eaten alive, became the least bit worried.
 But was game for the task, and never once entertained the idea of backing out, even though my fears grew as the hour approached for my plunge; however. I determined to take along in the sack an extra big knife and this determination, carried out
 resulted in saving my life.
 "On the afternoon of my descent in-
 to the sea the shore line was black with people, and there were parties ou on the water in skiffs and other craft
 hoping to get a better view of the per formance Well, to get down to my
 story, I was taken out quite a little piece from shore on a fiat decked boa and placed in huge sack, the bottom of which was packed with heavy sand I took a lingering look at the brigh+
 blue sky, just before the sacks mouth was closed, and the man with the N needle was getting ready for his work
 as the sharks were still on my mind
 and I did not know whether I woul, come out of the venture alive or not but with the danger present my cour
 age rose, and for this I was thankful
 ''The sack was lifted up by severa burly negroes, hired for the purpose and thrown into the sea- The sound O
 the splash merged with the noise O rushing water in my ear and felt my self going to the lowest depths witt ' the speed of a rocket, in less than
 second, when I could have hardly bee
 more than thirty feet beneath the sur 7 face, felt something bump into tn sack, and the thought flashed upon m that shark or some other great fisl
 was diving for me. felt the bump
 moment later on my other side, an realized then, with a cold sense c ! horror, that there were two of tn things, whatever they were might bt after me I felt the jolts repeatedly i an incredibly short space of time, ant U gripping my knife firmly, I rippe