Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-05

- - weEe thnding on the rocks higi,
- sling and noddins TO Us. One
of - nd I long rope cooled round ilis
wnisL and he threw the end Of il down to
~; Enssy gave il TO me, and told me,
vixen The next swell hove us nearly on q
level with de men. to leap with all my
might towards them. Ny amazement Of
this coelrsqucst was TOO great for utterancc
rss somehow l did as l was desired
Wssching the favorable moment, I gave a
spring, and the natives who held the rope
accounting the impetus, jerked me alongside
Of them like . fish out of water; Emery
followed Immediately after. aided in the
same way. The man with us who had
already visited the island threw himself
overheard, and in few minutes he also
! d secured = footing. dripping like wa.
'er-sprite. The two left in the canoe lost
thcir presenccof mind. and would infallibly
ave beenlost had not the natives from Wca
zcassurcd them. and directed them how to
act"
There Is little soil on the summit OF
wall-like ridge Of the island yielding a
growth ofcoarsc grass and peculiar va.
ricty Of scrub. The natives have likewise
succeeded in rearing few cocoanut trees
The ascent TO novice is rather perilous.
and made me wink You have to wind
your way up literally, and at one point you
have p pass round the salient projection
ofs bald rock whcrethe footing is shelving,
and not fourteen inches broad, the rock
overhead bullying forward, while below
you have q sheer fall between two hun
dred and three hundred feet in depth. ]
was for giving il up, when Emery took the
lead, telling me it was the only dangerous
spot but then he was barcfootcd, and for
years had been Infatuated to go so. The
tenderness ofmy feet would not allow me
to dispense with shoes, and the slippery
soles made my case perilous False shame
prevented my retrcating, but at the time |
could not help considering that the object
to be Obtained was scarcely worth the risk.
When l had sided halfway across this
very awkward pass, my arms extended
and fingers stretched out ncrvously clutch
ing at any little unevenness Of surface, and
whilst l was hesifating where next to put
my foot cropping in vain for some assure
into which Knight thrust my fngcrs,or for
some root that ! might grasp, caught
sight Of the frighiful descent, my head
swan and ! was turningsick. AT this mo-
incnt ofimmincnt risk, native daringly
swaycd himself outside me, striking me
smartly on the back as he passed. This
recalled my senses, and arrived on firmcr
footing again. The rapidity with which
this bold action was performed is surpris-
ing; for moment the mans body must
have been off the centre of gravity, and |
believe the poor fellow endangered his
life to inspire me with confidence. for had
slipped when he was passing me he
would have bccninvolvcd Uncertain dcstruc-
ton"
DIVING FOR smELLs.-From tic same book
Much of the diving took place at the Bow
Island ofCook, or in its vicinity. This is the
account of the process:
'On arriving at reef or knoll, the boa,
was secured by its painter to projecting
branch. and the divers proceeded to dive
from it in alldircctions; and, as they brought
up the shells, so they threw them into the
shallow water on the knoll, until the shells
became scarce, or they became tired and
wanted to pull to another station. She'll
fish Of various descriptions are attached to
and wedged in the coal branches. appa-
senily having grown with their growth.
On still calm day you may see to the
bottom at ten or twelve fathoms, and the
shell-Gsh when feeding reflect tints of the
most brilliant and beautiful hue; and fish
Of every conceivable form and color may
be seen sporting in the intcrstices Of the CO.
raj branches.
"lt is a curious sight to watch the divers;
with scarcely movement they will dart to
the bottom like an arrow, examine beneath
every protruding rock, and, on continuing
their investigations, by a simple movement
ofthe arm will propel themselves horizon
Tally through the water, and this at the depth
Of seven or eight fathoms. timed several
by the watch; and the longest period |
knew any ofthem to keep beneath the wa
ter was minute and quarter, and there
were only two who accomplished this feat.
One Of them. from his great skill, was nick
named by his companions the 'Ofai,' (stone.)
Rather less than a minute was the usual
duration. In fine weather they can see the
shells. when. if the water is deep, they dive
at an angle for them; and, as the shells adj
here firmly to the coral by strong boards,
II requires no little force to dctach them
l was astonished on one occasion at wit
Messing diver, after one or two Intellectual
attempts to tear away large oyster, sink
his legs beneath him, and, getting pur-
chase with his feet against the coral, use
both his hands and fairly drag it off, When
they dive in very deep water, they COM
plum Of pains in the ears, and they some
times como up with their noses bleeding;
but it is rarely that you can get them to at
tempt such diving, as, let the shells be ever
so abundant, they will come up and swear
there are none; the excrtion, from the great
pressure, is too painfully distressing. 1t
has frequently happened, after set of
WORKOUT divers have sworn that no more
shells could be obtained, tina, fresh set
has como and procured from fifty to sixty
tons without difficulty"
ii
Railroad Items.
The entire quantity Of iron to be used in
laying the track of the Terre Hautc and In.
danapois Railroad has been received al