ADVENTURE WITH A SHARK.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1142, 21 March 1884, Page 3

ADVENTURE WITH A SHARK.

the Spanish nivor, met with a remarkable adventure, anil had a very narrow escape recently, while engaged in diving operations on the coiat of ‘ Norch > Carolina,; heart he little town of Morehead.' > -The Ar.lantapone of the heat known coasting vessels in these parts, ; ’w4s a i dp; fcjept<>mber .22* and Sank inside ,liio bar. ‘ The 6w e'rl ot the craft Contracted , with. ad{yiag;;compauy to have her raUed, and to recover as muon, of her cargo as was still serviceable. Alfetto and another diver were.engaged to do the work. Th**y made several successful descents, but on the fourth trip tbh Spaniard met the adventure of which we speak. His comrade -signalled hastily to he drawn up, and when be had been hauled in'the boat he relaed how Alfetto hart been seized, by a white shark, and ckrried iiff; Mnit scarcely had be done! speaking when Alfetto rose to the shtface about 50yds from the boat, and was picked up insensible, with several holes punched in the metallic part of his diving suit. Means were successfully adopted to bring him round, and the nest day he told the folio wing’story : .. .**■ As you know, we had made our fourth descent, and while my compani- n clambered into the vessel,, 1 waited on the grnun i till he should attach the cords to draw somethingrout. T was just about to signal to be drawn no for a moment’s rest when I noticed a sbidowy body moving at some distance above me and towards me. In a moment every fish had disappeared, the very crustaceans Jay still upon the sand, and the cuttlefish scurried away as fast as they could. 1 was not thinking of danger, and my first thought was that it was the shadow of a large boat. But suddenly a feeling of terror seized me ; I felt impelled to flee from something, 1 knew not what ; a vague horror seemed grasping after me, such as a child fancies wh-n leaving a dark room. By this time the shadow had come nearer and taken shape. It scarcely needed a glance to show me that it was a maneater,! and of the largest size Had 1 signalled to be drawn up then, it would have been ce-tain death. All I could do was to remain still until it left. It lay off 20 or 25ft, just ouiside t >e rigging of the ship, its body motion!) ss, its fins bar -ly stirring the water about its gills. It was a monster as it was, but to add to the horror the pressure of water unou my hea l made it appear as if pouring flames from its eyes and mouth, and every movement of i s fins and tail seemed accompanied by a display of fireworks. I was sure the fish was 30ft long, and so near that I could see its double row of white teeth. Involuntarily 1 shrunk closer to the side of the vessel ; but' my first movement betrayed my presence. I saw th« shining eyes fixed upon me; its tail quivered, as it darted at me line a streak of ligh ning. ISO ank closer to the side of the ship. 1 saw it turn on its side, its mouth open, and heard ihe teeth snap at ran a-> it darted by me, but only for a m ment. Tie sweep of its mighty tail had thrown me forward. I saw it turn, balance itself, and its tail quivered as it done iat me again. There was no escape. It turned on its back as it swnope I down on me like a hawk on a sparrow. The cavernous jaws opened, and the long shining t<eth gra'e-las they closed on my metal harness. It ha-i me ; I conld feel its teeth grinding upon my coppi r l-n a-iplate as it tried to bite ran in two. KonunatcJy it had caught me just > across the mobile, where I was best proteated. Hiving seized tno it went tearing through the water. I c-uld feel it hj und forward at each stroke of its tab. Had it not been for my copper helmet my head would have been torn off 1 y the rush through the water. I was perfectly conscious, but somehow 1 f-.-'-t no terror at all. Thera was only a feeling of "Hinboess. I wondered how bug it would be b- foe ; hose teeth would crunch through, and whether they would strike first into my back or breast. Then I thought of Maggie and the babv, an i woniere I who won d take cars of them, audif she. would over know wbat had become of me. All these though’s passed thiough my brain in an instant, but in that time the connecting air tube had been snapped, and my head seemed ready to burst with pressure, whim the monster’s teeth kept crunching and grinding aw.iv upon my harness Then I frit the e-dd water begin to pour in and heard the bubble, bubble, and bubble, as tho air escaped into the creature’s muulb. 1 began to hear great guns, and to see fireworks and rain bows and sunshine, and all ki-nls of prettv things ; then I thought I was floating away on a losy summer cloud, dreaming to the sound of sweet music. Then all became blank. The sha'k might have eaten me at his leisure, and I never would have been the wiser. Imagine my astonishment then, when I opened my eyes on board this boa; and saw you fellows around me. Yes, sir 1 I thought I was dead and ate up, sure ”