Year: 1869

consisted of sailing frigates and brgs not Of screw
vessels. as at present. In those days officers hac
to depend entirely upon their seamanship; there
was no furing sails and getting steam up if heae
wind or calm turned up, or to go in and out OF dit
fcult harbors and if the passage from one port tt
another did occupy little more time than it doe'
at present, yet there was the pleasure of 'eatint
your way to windward," and of seeing what you
vessel really could do against foul wind.


At the time l allude to I was serving as mid
shipman on board her Majesty's sloop H, thu
finest of those magnificent "sixteen-gun briggs
built by Sir William Symonds. know no sensa
ton more pleasant than being officer Of the watcf
on board brig of war, with every stitch Of canva
set, the bowlines hauled, and as much wind as sh'
can stagger UNDER while the little beauty knocks
off her nine or ten knots, close hauled, gliding
over the seas like swan sometimes throwing th'
spray as high as her maintop, or at others dipping
her sharp nose under an opposing wave and send
ing the spray right aft to her quarterback, while
she gives shake to her stern for all the world a
if she were a living creature, and enjoyed tn
ducking she gave the men forward.


Jolly were the times we had in the H, visit
ing every hole and corner of the station; some
times down the Gulf of Mexico, at others cruising
among the sand Gays of the Bahama Channel, o.
knocking about the beautiful Windward Islands
We were commanded by very smart officer, who
by dint of constant exercise, made US the smartes
vessel on the station; but, as is usually the case
We were very unfortunate in losing men overheard
Being remarkable good swimmer, | was fortu
nate enough to rescue on several occasions men
who, in performing their duties aloft, fell over
board, and it was when so occupied that | me
with the following adventure.


We had been cruising for some time for slaver
on the south coast of Cuba but yellow fever hav
ing made its appearance, we left Saint Iago d.
Cuba for Port Royal, Jamaica. That evening a
sunset after the usual hours exercise in reefnl
and furling, all possible sail was made with stud
ding sails allow and aloft, to a fine fresh breeze
the brig going fair twelve knots. One of ths
maintop men had remained aloft, finishing some
job, and was on his way down over the catharpine
shrouds, when, by some means or other, he los
his hold, and falling, struck the spare topsai yard
slowed in the main chains, and went overheard
I was standing on the stern gratings, and seeing
him fall, instantly sang out, "Man overheard !
and, throwing off my jacket, jumped over the
quarter after him. The impetus of my leap took
me some distance under water, but on regalninG
the surface I saw him not far from me, just as hi
was going down. Exerting all my power, few
strokes took me to the place where he had disap
peared, and / saw him slowly sinking beneath me-
In an instant [ was down after him, and, clutch
ing him by the hair, brought him to the surface
BY this time the brig was nearly two miles distant
from u.s. for although sail had been shortened, anc
the vessel brought to the wind as quickly AZ
mortal hands could do it, the rate at which she
was going, at the time of the accident of course
bore her rapidly away from US. found the pool
fellow was quite nsensible, and from the fact O.
his right arm hanging limp, conjectured that hi
had broken it in his fall, which proved to be the
case. Supporting him with one arm, kept afoa
with the other, and looking round, saw the life
buoy floating not far from us; so, taking good
grip of his hair, swan towards, and having sue
ceeded in reaching it, made my unfortunate ship
mate fast to it by one of the beckets, with his heao
we'll above water


By this time he was coming to himself, and
knew that if they could see us from the brig, hel
boats would soon be alongside us; but this did moi
appear to be the case, for the boats seemed pulling
in all directions but the right one. Suddenly
saw, but few yards from us, an object that in q
moment filled me with unutterabe dread-the
back fin of a monster shark. Slowly the brute ap
preached, until could clearly distinguish that he
was one of the largest Of his kind. He evidently
intended to reconnoitre, and when only about five
Yards from us, began to swim slowly in circle
but gradually nearing, until 1 could clearly dis
tinguish the horrid eyes that make the shark
countenance what it is-the very embodiment Of
Satanic malignity. Halfconcealed between the
bony brow, the little green eyes CLEAN with SC
peculiar an expression of hatred, such concentra-
ton of 6endish malice, Of quiet, calm, settled vii
lainy, that no other countenance that | have ever
seen at all resembles Knowing that the brute is
as cowardly as he is ferocious, commenced tc
splash as much as 1 could with my feet. This had
the desired effect, and with lateral wave of bis
powerful tail, he shot off, and for the moment dis
appeared Again I looked round for the boats
but still observed no sign that we were seen.


Night was fast falling-there is no twilight in
those latitudes-and could see little or no hope
of escaping horrid death from the jaws Of the
brute who, full we'll knew was not far off. Sud
denly cry of horror from my companion, who
had now quite regained his Senses drew my atten