FATAL ENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 264, 30 December 1880, Page 4

FATAL ENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK.

A TERRIBLE SCENE. The Brisbane Coutier gives the following p>rtioularß of a flght by a boy wish » shark : — On the afternoon of Thors<!ftv, 25(h November, Victor and Alexy Drury, with three companions, <*ent down to 0 rooky point in Petrie'n Bight, just below Mr Drury's residence, to bathe. The lads have continually bathed in the s«me place before, and the two Druryp, being good swimmers, linve been Id the habit of occasionally Ewimming across the river. The late hot weather, however, has rendered the river most unsafe, end lince ih<? occurrence we ere about to relate-r.umf-roufi accounlß hnvo conoe to light of dfgß being tiken by sharkr — nocounts that it would have been better (0 have given a wiue publioity to at the tirce, with a view of deterring bathere from eccr.uDtcriDg tit e earce awful htzarf*. It has alwhys been kuown, however, that tumoitr bathing in the river was attended wilh a certain amount of risk, yet, at no accident hn& occurred heretofore, bathm bad come to regard the danger as too remote to interfere with (heir indulger.ce in n luxury only properly nppreciatul by dwelWrs in a hot climate. On that Thursday afternoon the five boya had been ewimtuicg scd diving about the Daep Hock for Bcme time. The fun vtbs ever, and nil had left the water but Alexy Drury, who was splaßhing about whil« the 01 her boyo were dressing. He had just n\trocted their nttenii'..n ly calling our, " Shark, shark !" It whs •it fit et thought the poor boy was joking, but it was only for a few Becondß his companions remained in any doubt of his dreadful situation. A yhark sft or 6ft in length cou'd be seen just below the surface, and the crimson hue of the troubled water where the brave little led was battling for his life told tow dreadfully unequal was the combat. Meny a strong swimmer attacked in bo fatal a manner woulj have succumbed without a struggle, and, his besrt dying within him, would have gone under, death by drowning mercifully ended his sufferings. Not bo young Drury. Hie toy's heart was u stouter one by far than is given to most men. He never for a moment lost hiß presence of mind. Flight was impossible, surrender out of the question, and with a dauntless courage beyond all praise the heroio little fellow turned upon bit aSßailant and struck at him till he succeeded in freeing himself. Then hor* ribly mutilated, he essaytd to reach the shore. But the dreadful fight was not yet over. The shark, though beaten off, bad not abandoned the pursuit, and just as the poor lad was reaching the landing-place his cruel assailant seized him by the other foot and dragged him under. He was at this timo ao ne&r the rocks that one of the boys jumped in and seized him by the hand, and with the assistance of the other three the sufferer was ultimately dragged from the monster and laid upon the batik. The injuries he had received were of a truly fearful character. The flesh had been stripped from his legs, from the calf downwards, and both feet had been horribly crushed and mangled. Though weak from loss of blood the brave little fellow was perfectly o&lm end collected, and on hie father's arrival bis chief concern appeared to be to lessen the shock hi» dreadful plight occasioned, by assurances which be tried (0 make encouraging. Drs Concanon, Cannan^and O'Doherty, who were in attendance decided to amputate both lego below the knee, and that evening the operation wag sueceefully performed. But the poor boy had been previously drained of his life's force, and although the dsy after the operation he seemed to rally, and lived through that day and tha next night, on the Saturday morning, shortly before 9 o'clock he breathed his lflßt.