The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-05-14

The weights were hung and we wer,
ready.
Is looks terrible blackish, Berton,
said Runner to me.
"Oh," I replied, gaily, its only
little mist-all right l''
"Ah p' He uttered low exclama
ton, which seemed hollow from his cav
ernous helmet.
All ready" cried in loud voice
which they, however, could not easily
distinguish. Then making a proper
sign, 1 was swung over the side. Dowr
we went. I first, and Rimmer close be
hind me. It did not take a long time
for us to goto the bottom. We found
ourselves upon what seemed broad
plain, sloping downwards towards the
south, and rising slightly towards the
north. Looking forward then, a dim,
black object arose, which, our experien-
ced eyes knew to be lefty rock. I
motioned to Rimmcr that We should
proceed there.
cannot tell the strangencss of the
sensation felt by ono who first walks the
bottom of the sea. There are thou
sand objects, fitted to excite astonish-
ment, even in him who has dared the
deed hundred times. All around US
lay the plain, covered by water but
here the eye could not pierce far away
as in the upper air, for the water in the
distance grew opaque, and seemed to
fade away into misty darkness. There
was no sound, except the incessant CUR
gle which was produced by the escape of
air from the breast valve, and the plash
caused by our passage through the wa
ter. We walked ON at a good pace
for this armor, which seems so clumsy
up abeve, is excellent below, and offers
little inconvenience to the wearer.
Fishes in crowds were around us.
Fishes of every description met our eyes,
no matter where they turned. They
swan swiftly by us; they sported in the
water above US, they raced and chased
one another in every direction. Here
shield of porpoises tumbled along in
clumsy gambols, there grampus might
be seen rising to the surface here an
immense nunber of smaller fish flashed
past US, there some huge ones with pou-
derous forms, foated in the water lazily.
Sometimes three or four placed them
selves before us, staring a us, and SOL
emnly working their gills. There they
would remain till we came close up to
them, and then, with start, they would
dart away.
All this time we were walking on.
ward, along the bottom of the sea, while
above us, like black cloud in the sky,
We could see our boat slowly moving on
ward upon the surface Of the water.
And now, not more than a hundred
yards before US, we could see the tower
ing form of that ebony rock which had
at first greeted our eyes from afar. AS
yet. We could not be certain that this
was the place where the Marmion had
struck But soon sound black object
became discernable, as we glanced at the
rocky base. Rimmer struck my arm
and pointed. signed assent, and we
moved onward more quickly.
A few moments elapsed: we had
come near the rock The black object
now looked like the stern of vessel
whose hull lay there. Suddenly Rim
mer struck me again and pointed up
ward. Following the direction of his
hand, 1 looked up and saw the water all
foamy and in motion. There was a mo-
mentary thrill through my heart, but it
passed over. We were in dangerous
condition A storm was coming on |
But should we turn back now, when
We were so near the object of our search
Already it lay before US. We were
close beside it. No, would net, I sig
nalized to Rimmer to go forward, and
We still kept our course.
Now the rock rose up before us black,
rugged and 9ismal. Its rough sides
were wen by the action of the water,
aud, in some places were GOV vered by ma
rine plants and nameless ocean vegota-
ton. We passed onward. clambering
over spar which jutted from the cliff,
and there lay the steamer.
The Marmion-there she lay upright
with every thing standing. She had
gone right down, and had settled in such
position among the rocks that she
stood up right there, just as she lay at
the wharf. We rushed eagerly along
and clambered up her side. There was
low moan in the waters, which sound
ed warnirgly in our ears, and told us Of
a swift-approaching danger.
| We hurried forward. Rimmer rush
ed to the cabin. went forward to de-
scend into the hold. I descended into
the engineers room. All was empty
here, all was water. The waves of the
ocean had entered and was sporting with
the works of man. I went into the
freight room. Suddenly, I was startled
by an APPALLING noise upon the deck. The
heavy footsteps of some one running
as though in mortal fear, or most dread
full haste, sounded in my ears. Thel
my heart throbbed wildly; for it wa
fearful thing to hear, far down in tn
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