IN A SHARK'S JAWS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 98, 28 April 1930, Page 8

IN A SHARK'S JAWS

SWIMMER’S FIGHT FOR LIFE TWICE GRIPPED BY MONSTER REMA RKABLE ADVENTURE Attacked by a big man-eating shark while bathing off Strand, a popular reSort about 30 miles from Capetown, a few weeks ago. a young athletic man. Air Servie le Roux, narrowly escaped with his life. He was swimming quietly parallel with the shore some distance out when the shark ran into his side with great force. •‘The shark then grabbed me in its horril le teeth by the stomach, the apper teeth gripping my stomach and ihe lower teeth my back.” related Mr >e Roux. “I caught hold of its lower jaw with my right hand, while with my lite I held on to its upper teeth. I fought the shark wita all might, ;ut with scant success, for the creature seemed to know intuitively that »'s best chance lay in submerging me. The shark then let go but only for a few seconds. It gripped me again, and in getting my right arm in its mouth to disable it I was badly bitten from thumb to elbow.

“So big was the shark’s mouth that the whole of my hand and arm, to the elbow, were in its jaws. I struck the shark with iny left hand on its snout, and as I am left-handed the blows were not light. This seemed to surprise and pain the brute, and it let go. If was my opportunity, and J made off as fast as I could swim. “After swimming a few yards, however, I found to my horror that in my anxiety to get away I had taken the wrong direction and was swimming seaward, with the shark between me and the shore. I then turned, and the shark again came for me, but 1 remembered what I had read in sea stories nf swimmers in similar plight splashing for all they were worth to frighten the sharks off, and I did the same. This splashing seemed to bewilder the creature, which did not again seize me. but followed me so near that I was able to kick it in the side several times. “On reaching the line of surf I was afraid to put my feet on the bottom lest I should lose speed, and only when certain that 1 was well within my depth did I put my feet down and by that time my unwelcome companion had left me for the open sea. “At first I thought that my right arm was gone, as 1 eould feel noth ing, but on reaching the shore I was relieved to find I still possessed it. although blood was spurting from an artery. I tried- to stop the blood by pressure, and ran for 100 yards to a motor-car. First aid was given me by those in the car, after which I was immediately rushed to the hospital, about two miles away.” Mr le Roux’s heavy woollen bathing costume was torn to rags by the teeth of the monster. Fatalities owing to sharks are very rare on the South African coast. In some places, Durban for instance, bathers are protected by a strong wire netting from the possible attacks.