TWO MEN EATEN BY SHAKES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2591, 31 October 1867, Page 5

TWO MEN EATEN BY SHAKES.

On Monday, the American ship Josephine, Capt. Mitchell, arrived in the harbor from Eumados, Cuba for orders. Capt. Mitchell I reported the fearful death of two of his crew, by being devoured by sharks, while the vessel was lying at Eumados. He had been on shore on the 26th of June with two of his crew, purchasing some stores. Having transneted his business, Capt. Mitchell took his boat, and a fair wind being blowing he rigged sail. Having accomplished ha'f the journey, aceoinpnnied by the two seamen, a sqiull struck the boat, :md it, was po severe that she was completely turned over. The captain and his men were precipitated into the water, the boat sinking under them in about two fathoms of water. Two barrels which had been in tho boat were floating about, and Captain Mitchell ditvete 1 his men to hold on by them till ass'stauce came, while he himst'lf seized tho mast, übout a foot of which projected ovpr the water. The cap tj'in says the men did as hetojdthem.butin n few minuU's after he hoard their cries. On looking round he found that the two men had disappeared from the surface of the water, and in a minute he saw the water about whore the men were bewmo red, which left no doubt on his mind that the unfortunate men had boon takeu by sharks. The captain then prepared for tin; worst, aud at the time he gave up all chances of escape, as the waters iu : his place are actually infested with -sharks. He lashed himself to the "Hast of the boat, aud for thirteen hours he remained in a stato of fearful suspense, The aocidi'nt to tho b->at occunvd at four ! o'clock^u the afternoon, and about two o'clock on the morning of the 27th, he found that his fears during the preceding ten hotii'3 were well grounded, for when the day began to dawn Captain Mitchell's alarm may be imagined when he saw two immense sharks swimming about him, at an oar's length, evidently watching an opportunity to plunge at him. With these two monsters of the deep keeping watch over his person, Captain Mitchell remained in this perilous position for three hours longer. The captain, from mingled fear and exhaustion, was getting insensible, when, fortunately, about five o'clock, a lighter, which was passing, came to his assistance. The approach of the lighter frightened off the sharks, and Captain Mitch' H was renewed IV.un his awful position iu ii holt' insensible state. He accounts for his preservation by the Tint that a small pnr tion of the sail was above water, aud the wind kept it continually waving and splashing tho water, which, lie says, kept tho sharks from coming nearer than they did. — Cork Examiner.

Tho Belgians and oompiny drank 5000 bottles of champagne at Miss Ooutts' sparkling entertainment. The New York Home Journal announces an enterprise of startling magnitude as übout to be undertaken, viz., tho construction of a tunnel under the Atlantic, connecting the New with the Old World. Our contemporary says that tho most eminent engineers iu America and in England have been consulted, that they consider tho work us perfectly feasible, though requiring, of course, a good deal of time and money, and that die necessary capital will be forthcoming, liy their calculations £500,000,000 will complete tho job. Qencr.vl J.^riola was comitted far trial on Tn'y 29 on the charge of treason. Hia identity was established by the information of General IVlnssey, who states that he was first introduced to F.-iriolu in London by General Olesuret, the Frenchman who was to have taken the command of tho i'"enians in Irclnwl. Cle«uiret B>n'd that ITariola was to bo chief of his staff. Massey al»j saw the prisoner in Cork, and converted with him about Fenianisin. Ho also identified a letter found in FarioLt's travelling-bag written to him by Colonel Kelly, chiti 1 organiser of the Irish .Republic. Tho commisaon of Over and Termincr was opened at Dublin on August 8 by Chief Justices Whitesido Mono-ham. A true bill for treason-felony was found against Q-eneml Fariola. The general was arraigned on Aug. 9. Ho pleaded" Not Guilty," and the trial was postponed until the next commission. A double crimo of an extraordinary character is reported from Carlisle. An inquest was held in that city on Saturday, August 3, on view of the bodies of William Toppin, aged 76 years, and his grandson, a boy only two years old. They had been fount! tied together by the neck within a dam at the western outskirts of the city. It appeared that tho deceased was well known as a quite, decent old man, who had for 30 years boen servant to the late Colonel Mac-loan, who had left him pension. Aboub two years ago tho old man's daughter had an illegitimate child, and he thought that his neighbors looked coldly upon him after this disgrace to his family. Ho became lowspirited, but was passionately fond of tho child, and could scarcely allow it to be out of Ins sight. On Friday, Aug. 2, ho was more than usually doinonstrativo of hia affection for tho child. Ho kissed him repeatedly iuthe houso, and then took him out for a walk. The old man and the child must have gone together along a walk which runs by tho side of the dam. Whilst there lie took off his own hat aud coat and tho child's bonnet, and having placed them on the bank, ho took a rope and tied himself and the child together by the neck. lie then fastened a rope to which a weight was attached round his waist, and leaped into the dam. At night tho bodies wore found by a fisherman. The old man lay face downwards, hugging tho child to his breast. Tho verdict roturned was to tho effect that tho elder deceased had committed suicide whilst in an insane condition of mind, and had at the same time murdered his grandchild.