Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
IN THE JAWS OF A SHARK
Thrilling Experience Of Water Walker in
Eavana Harbor
FIERCE GRAB OF THE OCEAN HYENA
william OIdFieve's Desperate struE-
gle with the Hungry Fish and
His Marrow Escape az
the End.

the End.
When David Livingstone, one OF the
greatest missionaries the world has ever
seen, was spreading the gospel in the up
per Congo he was one day attacked by a
lion, knocked from his horse and carried.
bleeding and half-senseless, by the savage
beast to a belt OF timber. there to be de-
voured. But Providence had need Of Liv-
ingstone; his work was not yet done, and
a bullet from the big elephant-bore rifle Of
one Of the Scotchman's attendants pierced
the brain Of Felis Leo, and SO averted the
tragedy.
Similar cases are on record; men have
come unscathed from the claws Of lions
and tigers in African forests and Indian
jungles. 1t is even related that Thierry,
the French explorer, was saved from the
crushing folds OF a python in the wids Of
Ceylon after the huge reptile had fastened
its prong-like fangs in the throat Of its
Intended victim; and many other stories
of hair-breadth escapes from beasts and
serpents have been proven true but of all
the class Of strange and horrible Incidents
no experience is more thrilling than the one
encountered by William Oldrieve, the water
walker In Havana bay, almost within the
shadow of frowning Moro castle.
Oldrieve was literally in the jaws Of a
shark; the great ocean hyena's razorlike
teeth had ripped through his flesh, and
yet, by almost a miracle, he came through
the race with death, and lives today to
tell of those trying moments Of terror.
I went to Havana a few years before
the Spanish war" Prof Oldrieve began.
relating his story, and at the time the
Cubans were struggling to throw off the
calling yoke of the mother country.
My walking on the water feat proved
quite a hit. and after giving several ex-
hibitions in the bay, close to the dock.
was engaged by the Havana Yacht club
for a sort of private show further removed
| from the pOpulous center, where only
aristocratic eyes could watch my efforts
! from the decks of trim little sloops.
1T was a bright, fall afternoon, with
| only a gentle land breeze heavily laden
| with the perfume of sweet flowers blowing
| OF shore, and hardly a ripple in the gulf.
when l was escorted aboard a yacht and
! taken below the limits of the city. to a
point nearly opposite Moro castle. There
| were lots Of trim sailing craft all about the
sioop l was passenger on, and the cream
Of society in the island capital were aboard,
| dnAlous TO see me perform.
On Water walking Shoes.
Il had a pair of big water walking shoes.
something like those I used in walking
down the river from Cincinnati, but not of
such an improved pattern, and entering a
skin I put the things on over my rubber
boots, and stepped out into the great. vast
gulf.
The trick was easy for me, the water
was calm as some sylvan brook, no wind
10 speak of was blowing, and felt in ex-
cellent spirits, so my performance-even II
do say it myself-was first-class, and
caused those dons and donnas to chorus
repeated bravas from their snug RESTING
places on the decks OF the yachts.
1 walked back and forth, performed 3
sort or gliding stunt, bent the crab and
ala other foolish things, and becoming ex.
NARRATED with my exercise, took a turn a
good piece out to sea. An Englishman
became acquainted with in Havana ant
} with whom would spend my evenings ir
cafe near the water front had warned
me to be careful of sharks in the bay. but
the warning never occurred to me until. or
Ihe particular afternoon Of which 1 an
speaking, cry Of alarm sounded from tn,
deck OF the yacht nearest me.
rear mas language Of its own and II,
various phases are expressed by information
or reflection, rather than by words. 81 Il
wasn't necessary for me to know spanist
to appreciate that the party who had ut
tered the cry had seen something alarming
something that was menacng me-
L was heading in toward the harbol
and the water all in front of me presented
no disturbing sight, but when the alarm
came again, this time given volume to b,
several voices l turned half around, feel
ing an unseen danger, as it were, and real
izing that perhaps my life was in peril.
Glancing over my shoulder, l saw, JUS
about FIVE yards behind me. a thin. bIacl
strip showing above the water, and as 4
moved rapidly in my direction 1 ouickl,
OWNED what it was, the nm of a shark.
J was practically helpless, with no weapon II
my hand. not even much as a paddle
and IN the sudden terror that claimed m,
J my legs grew weak, with the result that
nearly lost my balance, one foot incIinins
to the right and the other to the left, anC
came within an ace Of pitching head frs
into the sea.
Seeking Haven on a Yacht.
The yacht OF the mayor was only a few
, yards from me, and, pushing forward m,
right foot, 1 sped toward the haven of ref
uge. But as l covered an inch my pursu
J ing fee cleared many feet, and a scream
from one Of the white-robed ladies' on tn,
deck apprised me that the destroyer wa.
upon me. Instinctively, l described a turn
and facing about. saw six feet Of blush
clammy-looking flesh, a double row o.
pointed teeth, set well in a cavernoul
mouth and round pointed beak, to the sid
OF me, as the shark sprang from the water
He missed me by a narrow margin
, and his while great length-there mus
have been twenty feet Of HMM a half
circle splashed into the water, and tn
passage OF the massive body through tn