Battling With A Shark

Charles Gates, aged 34, and Arthm Oole, aged 16, liad a novel and exciting encounter with a shark intheEsst river, tlie following account of wliich we glean from tlie New York Sun : They liad hired a boat at the foot of Cohimbia street for the purpose of goiiig on a crabflshing expedition. They pulled slowly down the river until they reached the breakwater bet ween Columbia and Hicks streets. Here Gates remarked to his companion that he would like to take a swim. Colé replied, "AU right; peel pfif, and 111 remain in the boat until yon return." Gates undressed, plunged into the river, and swam several times around the boat. Meanwhile Colé was engaged in attaching a rope to a large stone which he had on board, and which he meant to use as an anchor after they began to flsh. Cole's attention was soon diverted from this work by a sudden and violent displacement of the water, which almost upset the boat, Almost simultaneously with the shock which was thus given him, he was startled by the screams of his companion, who loudly called for help. Colé concluded that Gates had met with some accident, and was about to leap into the water, when, looking over the side of the boat, he saw his companion struggling with a shaik. There was no time to be lost. The cries of Gates were growing fainter, and in a minute more iiis lite must liave been sacrificed. Colé bethought himself of tlie primitive anchor Le had been making. He promptly seized the stone and wit;h all his Btrength hurled it at the Fortunately his aim was good, and the heavy stone' struck the shark on the head. Seemingly stunned by the blow for a second, the shark released his hold upon Gates. Colé seized this opportunity to resoue his friend, whose bleeding and mangled body wss about to sink. Colé lay to his oars. and a few strokes brought him alongsitle of Gates, who was being swept along by the tide. He reached out his oar, but the drowning boy was unable to catch hold of it. At last a fortúnate wave brought the boat and Gates' body close together, and Coló leaned over the side, and, seizing Gates by the head and shoulder, pulled him on board. By this time the shark had partially recovered, and he began to plunge violently about in the water. The speechless and almost lifeless Gates was placed in the bottom of the boat, and Colé again lay to his oars, and pulled with all his strength in the direction of the boathouse from whence they had started. The shark seemed to have lost its reckoning when it missed its victim, and after making divers maneuvers it disappeured. On reaching the shore it was found that Gates was terribly lacerated. His body seemed to be bleeding at every pore. He was exhausted from loss of blood, as well as from the effects of the terrible nervous shock he had sustained. An ambulance was telegraphed for. Dr. Cochran and an ambulance promptly arrivod at McCuthry's boat-house, where the unfortunate boy had been provided with a blanket, and otherwise temporarily cared íor, After a cursory examination of Gates' wounds, the ambulance surgeon proaounced him to be in a most critical eordition, and directed his immediate removal to St. Peter's Hospital. Here che wounds were closely examined by the resident surgeon. It was found that the boy's back and sides were horribly lacerated, and little if any hope is eníertained of his recovery. Colé, who is made the hero of the !iour by his relatives and neighbors, is i lad of quiet demeanor, and has unasual intelligenco for his age. He says that the shark was at least eight feet in iength.