Arthur Greene
UJonah kuthiwa wachitha izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu esiswini somkhomo ngaphambi kokuba uNkulunkulu atshele umkhoma ukuba umphimise. (IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi unkosikazi kaJonah wamkholwa yini.)
Umubhukudi uchithe imizuzwana engama-40 engaphakathi emlonyeni womkhomo i-humpback waphila futhi uxoxa ngale ndaba.
NgoLwesihlanu ekuseni ngezithuba zehora lesishiyagalombili ekuseni uMichael Packard, egqoke izingubo ze-scuba, ungene emanzini e-Hring Cove Beach e-Cape Cod eMelika.
Abathengisi bama-lobster bezentengiselwano balanda ama-lobster ngaphansi olwandle.
Ebhukuda ebheke ezansi, uPackard uzwe ukushukuma okungazelelwe futhi okunamandla bese konke kwabamnyama.
Ngemuva kokuphuma esibhedlela, watshela i-Cape Cod Times ukuthi: “Ngangizwa ukuthi ngiyahamba, futhi ngezwa umkhomo ucindezela ngemisipha esemlonyeni wayo.”
Ekuqaleni, uPackard ubecabanga ukuthi udliwe ngushaka omkhulu omhlophe, kodwa wayengawezwa amazinyo abukhali. Yilapho-ke azi khona ukuthi ugwinywe umkhomo.
“Bengingaphakathi ngokuphelele komkhomo. Bekumnyama bhuqe,” kusho uPackard.
“Ngacabanga ukuthi,” ayikho indlela engizophuma ngayo lapha. Sekuphelile ngami, ngishonile.”
Emzabalazweni oshubile wokulwa nokusinda uPackard waqala ukuzishayisa ngomzimba wakhe ngobudlova ngawo wonke amandla angaba nawo.
Umkhomo waqala ukunikina ikhanda ngapha nangapha. Futhi-ke uPackard wabona ukukhanya futhi wazi ukuthi umkhomo ukhuphukela phezulu.
UJosiah Mayo, osebenza esikebheni sikaPackard, i-Ja’n J, wabona umkhomo uqhumela ngaphandle. Ngenkathi ebona uPackard wacabanga ukuthi umngani wakhe uhlaselwe ushaka omkhulu omhlophe.
UMayo ubuyele olwandle ngejubane uPackard waphuthunyiselwa esibhedlela.
Ochwepheshe bakholelwa ukuthi umkhomo we-humpback kungenzeka ukuthi uzame ukudla uPackard ngephutha. Amacala wemikhomo e-humpback yokuxhumana nabantu ayimvelakancane ngokweqile ayisaphathwa eyokubadla.
Umthombo wesithombe: @IrishTimesWorld