The Democratic advocate., 1907-07-05
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 5, 1907.
SElett Story.
TWO MEN AND A SHARK.
BY III. 2. BAILEY.

Imprisoned in cave, with a shark
keeping guard outside and only waiting for
the rising of the tide to enter and seize his
victims! Such was the position in which
the author and his companion found them
selves. What happened afterwards is
graphically told in the subioined nara
tive.
was in San Francisco taking my late
employer advice-a rest. One morning
he had failed to meet his liabilities-and
me- He just left a clean pair Of heels
and little note. The note advised me to
follow his seeding example, or remain and
take Il moneyless rest. | acted on the
later; had to.
After Il week very active 'rest my
liabilities were sold to newl formed
copper syndicate, 1.-The San Francisco
and California Copper Company. | was
to accompany another gentleman as Il sur
veyor on a copper prospecting expedition
in Southern California.
That week one Of the Pacific Mail Com
pany's boats-the City Of Panama, |
think-sailed for Mexico and Peru, and
in her we took berths. In few days we
were dropped at Mazalant, a port on the
west coast of Mexico. From there we
crossed the Gulf of California to La Paz-
an idle born, listless town, having then
but little, if any, excuse to offer for its
existence Here we procured some over
ripe Mexican ''plugs "a species of quad
ruped, or, rather, active volcano on four
legs-to jolt us into the mountains. [ do
not intend to infict upon the reader the
results Of scientific expedition which had
for its object the examination of the cop
bearing rocks in that region; let it
suffice to say that during this metal-chas
ing trip DR.. Butler, geologist, Of Chicago,
and myself were the unaspiring victims Of
very nerve-trying adventure, which be-
fell us on the southwest coast Of the Gulf
of California.
One -bathed morning fifty or sixty
miles south of La Paz, DR.. Butler and [
found ourselves upon the coast. He was
examining and obtaining specimens of
basaltic and irachytic rock. [ accompanied
him, ready to take bearings and measure
ments of the locality if necessary.
We had just wended our way around
the foot of bluff and rocky headland when
we saw before us ''U' shaped inlet
rock -girt on three sides About $50 feet
across at its widest part, the cove pene-
trated several hundred feet into the rocky
coast. Precipitous were its sides and sui
len its outlines, but its deep and sparkling
waters looked cool and inviting.
In the blank and shrubless cliff across
the inlet we discerned the gaping mouth
of cavern, with its lower lip, to the ex-
tent of 4 few inches, appearing above the
water $ edge.
IL should like to examine the rock for
nation of that cavern 5 interior, y said the
doctor, presently, half to himself and half
to me- Then, after nomentary pause,
he added, ''But how the dickens are we
to get there, Bailey?''
1t could be seen at Z lance that there
was no land approach to the cavern. Meth,
er was there any material around us with
which to construct Il raft. However, 1t
needed no sixth sense to solve the problem.
II guess there is only one way, doc
tor said |, land that is to swim
Both of us were fairly good swimmers
and cared little for the watery stretch that
separated us from our object; indeed, the
project melted within us great and pleasant
expectations. In the overweening fit of en-
thusiasm that inspired us we considered
danger Of every sort out of the question.
Accordingly we stripped, dived, and struck
out with all the vigor commensurate with
our high spirits.
Up the other side we crawled, and to-
gether prepared to enter the dark unknown.
With my eyes attuned to business [ no
ticed that the cavern was about thirty feet
long and shaped like trumpet. Inside
it was about fifteen feet wide by six or
seven feet high. Once we were well in
side, the damp, salt-laden air, together
with the half lit shadowy rocks, had de-
pressing effect upon my spirits. Next to
a tomb, | decided, it was the most uncom
Portable place in which [ had ever been.
However, in this ocean cubicle DIR.
Butler pursued his investigations, for it
promised something tangible to our busin
ness hopes Meanwhile, accoutred
the unobtrusive costume OF Adam,
squatted on the floor and watched him
He fitted from one point to another with
business like zeal Presently he COM
menced to trace towards the entrance a > ide
fssure in the rock So intent was his
mind ON his task, and so glued were his
ewes to the fssure, that he took little heed
as to where and how he placed his feet,
with the unfortunate result that, moving
quickly forward he stepped heavily upon
sharp conical point and lacerated one of his
bare feet severely Some of the rocky
scale penetrated the wound, and to wash
this extraneous matter from the cuts he
limped to the cavern mouth and bathed
his bleeding foot in the water, in which
task | assisted him.
The wound bled profusely; there was
no stopping it for some time. Eventually,
however, Butler got up, re-entered the
cavern, and resumed his investigations.
Not wishing to return into the cold and
gloomy interior of the cave, | remained at
the entrance, basking in the warm sun
shine.
Except for few sea birds that whirled
in giddy flight far above me in the clear
hlna haarans not a living thing gaYa sions