A Thrilling Adventure with a Shark.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 40, 8 March 1884, Page 5

A Thrilling Adventure with a Shark.

Alfetto, the Spanish diver, met with a remarkable adventure and had a very narrow escapo recently while engaged in diving operations on tho coast of North Carolina, near the little town of Morehead The "Atlanta," one of the best known coasting vessels in these parts, was capsized in a squall on tho 22nd of September, and sank just inside tho bar. The owners of the craft contracted with a diving company to have her raised and to recover as much of her cargo as was still serviceable. Alfotto and another diver were engaged to do the work. They made several successful descents, but on the fourth trip tho Spaniard met with tho adventure of which we speak. His comrade signalled hastily to be drawn up, and when he had been hauled in the boat ho related how Alfetto had been seized by a monster white shark and carried of! ; but scarcely had ho done speaking when Alfetto rose from the water about lifty yards from the boat, and was picked up insensible, with several holes punched in tho metallic part of hi"* diving suit. Means were successfully adopted to bring him round, and the next day he told the following story :—: — "As you know, we had made our fourth descent, and, while my companion clambered into the vessel, I ■waited on the ground till ho should attach the cords to draw something out. I was just about to signal to be drawn up for a moment's rest when 1 noticed a shadowy body moving at some distance abo\c me and towards me. In a moment every fish had disappeared, the very crustacean lay still upon the sand, and the cuttle-fish 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 passing boat. But suddenly a feeling of terror seized me ; I felt impelled to flee from something, 1 knew not what ; a vague hoiror .seemed grasping after me such as a child fancies when leaving a daikened room. By this time the shadow had come nearer and taken shape. It scarcely needed a glance to show me that it was a man-eater, and of the largest size. Had 1 signalled to be drawn up then it would June been certain death. All I could do was to remain still until it left. It lay off' twenty or twenty-live feet, ju.^t outride the rigging of the ship, its body motionless, its? iins barely stirring the water about its gills. It was a monster as it was, but to add to the horror the pressure of the water upon my head made it appear as if pouring (lames from its eyes and month, and every movement of its ims and tail seemed accompanied by a display of fireworks. I was sure the fish was thirty feet long, and so near that I could .see its double row of w Into j teeth. Involuntarily I shrunk closer to the side of the vessel. But my first movement betrayed my presence. I saw the shining eyeh fixed upon me ; its tail quivered, as it darted at me like a streak of light. I shrank closer to the side of the ship. I saw it turn on one side, its mouth open, and heaul the tooth snap as it darted by me. It had missed me, but only for a moment. The sweep of its mighty tail had thrown me forward. I saw it turn, balance itself and its tail quivered as it darted at me again. There was no escape. It turned on its back as it swooped down on me like a hawk on a sparrow. The cavernous jaws opened, and the long shining teeth grated as- they closed on my metal harness. It had me. I could feel its teeth grinding upon my copper breastplate as it tried to bite me in two ; for fortunately it had caught me just across the middle, where I was be-«t protected. Having seized me it went tearing through the water. I could feel it bound forward at each stroke of its tail. Had it not been for my copper helmet my head w ould have been torn oft' by the rush through the water. I was perfectly conscious, but somehow I felt no terror at all. There was only a feeling of numbness. I wondered how long it would be before those teeth would crunch through, and whether they w ould strike first into my back or my breast. Then I thought of Maggie and the baby, and wondered who would take care of them, and if she would j ever know what had become of me. All these thoughts passed through 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 while the monster's teeth kept crunching and grinding away upon my harness. Then I felt the cold water begin to pour in and heard the bubble, bubble, bubble, as the air escaped into the creature's mouth. I began to hear great guns, and to see fireworks and rainbows and sunshine, and all kinds of pretty things ; then I thought I was floating away on a rosy summer cloud, dreaming to the sound of sweet music. Then all became blank. The shark might have eaten me then at his leisure, and I never would have been the wiser. Imagine my astonishment, then, when I opened my eyes on board this boat and saw you fellows around me. Yes sir ! I thought I was dead and ate up, sure.''