A Thrilling Adventure with a Shark.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 4292, 23 February 1884, Page 11 (Supplement)

A Thrilling Adventure with a Shark.

Alfetto, the Spanish diver, met with a romarkablo adventure and had a verynarrow escape recently while engaged in diving operations on the coast of North Carolina, near the little town of Morehead. The " Atlanta," one of the best known coasting VessoW in these pavts, was capsized in a squall on- the 22nd of September, and Sank just inside the bur. The owners of the craft contracted with a diving company to have her, raided and to recover as much of her cargo as wus still serviceable. Alfetto and another diver were engaged to do the work. They made several successful descents, but on the fourth trip, the Spaniard met with the adventure of which we speak. His comrade signalled hastily to ba drawn up, and when he had boon hauled in the boat ho pointed how Alfutto had boon soized by a monster white shark and carried off; but scarcely had he douo speaking when Altetto rose from the water about fifty yards from the boat, and was picked up insensible, with several holes punched in tho metallic part, of bin diving suit. Means weresuccessfully adopted to bring him round, and the next day lie told the following Htory :— " Ah you know, we had made our fourth descent, and, while my companion clambered into the vessel, I waited on the ground till he should uttacli the cords to draw something out. I wus just about to signal to be drawn up for a moment's rest when I noticed a Bliadowy body moving at some distance above me and towards me. In a moment every fish had disappeared, the very crustacean lay still upon the sand, and the cuttle-tish scurried away OS fast as they could. I was not thinking of danger, and my first thought was that it was the shadow of a passing boat. Bet suddenly a feeling of terror seined rue ; I felt impelled to flee from something, I knew not what; a vague horror seemed grasping after me such ;ls a child fancies when leaving a darkened room. By this time the .shadow had como nenror and taken »hu|X!. It scarcely needed a glance to show me that it was a man-eater, ami of the largest size. Had I signalled to be drawn up then it would have been certain death. All i could do win to remain still until it left. It lay off twenty or twenty-five feet, just outside the rigging of the ship, its body usotionlu.s.s, its liiiH barely stirring the water about ite gills, it was ri monsfc-i- as it was, but to add to the horror the pressure of the water upon my head made it appear as if pouring flames from its eyes and month, and every movement of it-!in- and tail seemed accompanied by a display of fireworks. 1 was sure the fiwh was thirty feet long, and so near that 1 could ->■<■ its double row of white teeth. Involuntarily i shrunk flo.ser to the side of the vessel. Hut. my lir.-t movement betrayed my presence. I s:iw the shining eyes 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 fme r-ide, its ruuuth open, and heard the teeth snap as it darted by me. It had missed me, but only for a moment. Tho nwfep of it" mijrhty "tail had thrown me forward. I saw it turn, balance itself, and its tail C|uivi;r..-d as it darted at me again. There wok iiu escape. Jt turned on ita'hack a? it pwonjxid down on me like a luiv.k on .i sparrow. The cavernous jaw* opened, ami the lung shining Uvth gratet a- they Hosed on my metal harness. It had me. I could feel its teeth grinding upon my (••'i>)iur breastplate as it tried U bite me in two; for fortunately it hat enntrht me just a'-ro— the middle, where ] w;u- best protected. Having .seized me i; went tearing through the water. 1 conic feel it hound forward at each stroke of its tail. Had it nohbotiii for my copper helmet my head would have been torn oil by the rush through The water. 1 v.;is perfectlj conscious, but somehow I felt no terror at all. Than! was only n feeling of numbness I wondered how long it would bo before those teeth would crunch through, ant whether they would strike first into m\ bade or my breast. Then 1 thought o Maggie and the baby, and wondered who would take cure of them-, and if she wonh ever know what had become of me. Al these thoughts passed through my brain ii an instant, but in that time the connecting air tube bad been snapped, and my hoiu scorned ready to burst with pressure while the monster's teeth kept crunching am grinding away upon my harness. Then felt the cold wator begin to pour in ant heard tho bubble, bubble, bubble, as the air escaped into the creature's mouth, began to hear great guns, and to see fire ■works and rainbows and sunshine, and al kinds of. pretty things; then I thought was floating away on a rosy summer cloud dreaming to the sound of sweet music Then all became blank. The shark raigh have eaten me then at his leisure, and never would have been the wiser. Iniagin my astonishment, then, when I opened mj eyes on board this boat and saw you fellow around me. Yes sir ! I thought I was deac and ate up, sure."