Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-25
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
From Tales Of Glaa6er Spa.
DIVING FOR A WIFE.

/ he piiSrimS having Co"'pieteu tneT pTepd
rations, and all being in readiness, Selm depart
ed from Sciu. with the consolation OF having at.
tempted to do as much good a. possible. 1t is
not nv fault that did not succeed said he. A
day or two after they were becalmed close to the
little island of Nzari, which u famous for hav-
ing the best divers in all the Archipelago. Nor
Is this wonderful, since, when rich man intends
marrying his daughter. he appoints day for all
the young men of the island to repair to the sea-
side, and there, in his preseace and that Of his
child, to dive for her. He who goes deepest aud
remains under water the longest wins the prize.
"It happened that a trial Of this kind was 60.
ing on at the moment the vessel was becalmed
close to the shore, aud seeing great crowd col.
lee ted, the passengers, with the exception OF the
Turkish lady, who refused to BE- guilty If such an
indecorum, all went ashore TO witness the cere-
mOny.
upwards Of hundred fine looking young
men were collected, and the trial commenced in
the presence of crowd of spectators. The
prize was charming girl, wh0 sat at some dis
tance with eyes ,nodes'ly averted. 1t was said
tina, she ardenty wished success to youth who
wa, present, and who exceiled all his COMPETE
tors IN the beauty of Ms face. as well as the SYM
mptrv of hi, person The lots had been cast to
decide the order ia which each OF the candidates
wa 10 dive, and the turn Of the handsome young
man az the last.
"A little bag was lied round the neck Of the
diver. tn" dep'h "f the water correctly measur-
ed m different places, and 1t was astonishing to
see the time thty remained under water, AS well
as The vast depth whencs they brought up pearl
oysters All had now done their best, when
the handsome youth advanced 10 essay his Tor
tune |, was observed that the role- which en-
, yelop-c tbs bosom OF the young visin rose and
fell with more than usual rap'dity. as the Young
man plunged into the sea at spot where as yet
no one had reached the bottnm
"As the period of his immersion Enlightened
bevond all the others, shouts OF victory resound-
ed from The spectators, and the bosnm OF the Young
prlze dam.e increased i'll IT'S thr0hbngs, like the
waves Of the sea when the tempest Is rising n
few moments more, and the shouts gradually sub
sided into low mprmurs, while the crowd eager
" advanced to the verge al the ocean, and seem
ed agitated by painful anxiety to sec nm rise'
A few mu,ntnts more, and aho'iow 0i"an announc-
Ell increasing aud almost hopeless anxiety. The
pria. damse appeared agi,ated by the Vost VIC
lent emotions, and al length voices exclaimed,
s'It is time Tor him to return"
ale will never RETURN" exclaimed the dis.
tracte maid. rushing toward, the beach, and be-
seethihS Tue "'"e' y"u"s NV" W ~, " ~
cue. If it was not yet too late. They "beyed,
but it was sone time ere they re-appeared, dur.
| ing which the maiden wrung her hands, and ex.
claimed in piteous despair AT length, after a
lapse of few moments. one OF the voung men
appeared bearing the body Of the handsome youth
without sense or motion 10 the shore. Various
means were taken for his restoration. during
which the distracted girl remained fixed as
statue. with her hands clasped and her ewes rails
ed as if beseechiog thu interference OF Heaven
In little while the limD- ct the youth became
stiff. his muscles rigid ard intcxinc. and II was
declared ,ha, he was stone dead. beyond all
hope
:. No one was so ungcnerons as to claim the
victory, or demand the prize from the deceased
diver. and the poor girl was led home in silent
de.pajr BY her father aud nearest relatives"