The Argosy — page 323: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE ARGOSY. Dodging a Shark. 303 March 2, 1868 Some horrible instinct seemed to have enabled this monster to scent me; for a few minutes.after Peter’s retreat he was floating close to me, gazing at me with his hideous eyes, and looking as though he was only waiting for a favourable opportunity to seize me. Death, painful and horrible, stared me in the face, and I could do nothing to escape from It. I had retreated on to the highest part of the reef; but the position afforded little extra security, for when the rollers swept over it I was several times knocked off my feet, and once nearly precipitated into the very jaws of the shark. I remained for some time in fearful suspense, half paralyzed with terror, and uncertain what to do. The boat was pursuing a most erratic course, now carried one way, and now another, by the opposite currents of air. At one time it seemed floating towards me, and my spirits began to revive ; but as soon as it got under the lee of the rocks it advanced no farther, only bobbing and dancing before me, as if to cheat me'with vain hopes. ‘Then suddenly another flaw seized it, and carried it once more into the centre of the inlet. One time I thought of attempting to reach the point by wading across the reef; but I was uncertain as to the depth, and I feared when I got quite from under the lee of the high rocks the rollers would be too strong for me, so that idea was dismissed. | I could not keep my eyes from my terrible companion, which had continued to float almost motionless in the clear water before me. His eyes, dull and flaccid, yet so ferocious, seemed to follow my every movement. At intervals, as if to delude me, he would gradually fade away, sinking slowly, and without any motion of his body, till he almost disappeared from sight, and then, without any perceptible effort, rose again like a cork to the surface. There he lay like a cat pretending to sleep, yet never taking its glance from its prey. The tension of the muscles was so great to keep my footing, and I had been so long in the water, that I felt my strength could not last much longer, and I expected every minute to be swept from the reef. All hope, therefore, of escape, as far as any active measure on my part was concerned, was gone,—my trust was now in God; I could do nothing, but await His will. From this state of despondency I was awakened by a shout, and the next instant I was hauled into the boat. _ What became of my enemy, or how I got clear of the inlet, I have no very definite idea. All I know is that, making a bold dash, Peter suc- ceeded in reaching the boat, and rescuing me. We were not long in dressing, and soon got back to the lagoon; and though only half an hour previous I had expected to be food for a shark, the idea had not taken away my appetite, for I enjoyed my dinner as well as if nothing had happened. comicloooks (CO) mn _