Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

     The Pensacola [Fla.] Gazette of the 8th ult., has the following account of an exciting adventure: “Capt. John B. Guttman, of the Pensacola Guards, signalized himself in an odd encounter last Friday, and came out first best. Riding down to the shore of Escambia Bay, the Captain noticed a strange commotion in the water, and that the beach for a considerable distance was covered with fish from six inches to a foot and a half in length, some dead and some still jumping, while others continued to spring from the water, above which showed the sharp dorsal fin of a shark, cutting the surface as he pursued the fish. The sporting spirit of the Captain was fired, and springing from the buggy he opened his pocket knife, with a blade less than three inches long, and rushed into the water, which was thigh deep where he encountered the shark, and pushed his little knife into it. The creature did not seem to feel it, and its hide was so tough that the Captain could not rip it, so he continued his thrusts while the shark endeavored to turn so as to seize him. Finally the shark felt the blade, and, retreating twelve or fifteen feet charged back with a rush. The Captain sprang aside as it attempted to bite him, and seized it by the fin, which was ten inches long, and plied his knife while they waltzed round, the shark continually turning in the endeavor to bite. Finding his knife of no avail against the nine lives of the shark, the Captain caught up a short, heavy piece of drift-wood which opportunely came within reach, and, as the fish threw its head out of the water, struck it a severe blow at the base of its skull, which instantly stunned it. He then drew it ashore, where it was dispatched. It was exactly five feet in length. In the earliest stages of the conflict, Capt. G’s three companions, who were off in the woods at its beginning, came out on the bluff and called out in alarm. ‘It’s a shark! come out of the water!” That Prussian gave his lips their usual twist, and simply said, ‘I know it,’ and went on with his amusement, which he says, was almost equal to some fun he has had with bears and bull bisons, numbers of both of which he has slain.