Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-11-05
NO. 80.


rolled. Down in these awful depths the swell
would not be very strong, unless it should in
crease with ten-iold fury above. But it had
been increasing, though had not noticed it,
and the motion of the water began TO be felt
in these abysses. Suddenly the steamer was
shaken and rocked by the swell.
AT this the hideous forms were shaken and
fell. The heaps Of people rolled asunder.-
That demon on the table seemed to make a
spring directly towards me, l fed, shrieking
all were after me, thought rushed out,
with no purpose but to escape. | sought to
throw off my weights and rise
lily weights could not be loosened-I pulled
at them with frantic exertions, but in vain
The iron fastenings had grown stiff. One Of
them wrested off in my convulsive efforts, bat
the other still kept me down. The tube, also,
was lying down still inmy passage-way through
the machine rooms. did not know this until
had exhausted my strength, and almost my
hope in vain did make efforts to loosen the
weights, and still the horror of that scene in
the cabin rested upon me.
Where was Rimmer? The thought flashed
across me. He was not here. Hs had return
ed. Two weights lag near, which seemed
thrown off in terrible haste Yes, Rimmer
Lad gone. looked up; there lay the boat,
tossing and rolling among the waves.
rushed down into the machine-room, to
go back, SO as to loosen my tube. l had gone
through passages carelessly, and this lay
there, for it was unroled from above as went
| IN I Ia, -, alr
l could stay here no longer for if all the gold
of Golconda was in the vessel, would not
stay in company with the dreadful dead
Back-fear lent wings to my feet. l hur-
ried down the stairs, into the lower-hold once
more, and retraced my steps through the pas
sages below. | walked back to the place into
which had FIRST descended. 1t was dark
new feeling of horror shot through me look
ed up. The aperture was closed
Heavens was it closed by mortal hand
Had Rimmer in his panic flight, blindly thrown
down the trap-door, which now remembered
to have seen open when | descended ? or had
some fearful being from the cabin--that de-
mon who sprung towards me -2
started back in terror
But ! could not wait here must go must
escape from this den of horrors | sprang up
the ladder, and tried to raise the door. 1t re-
sisted my efforts | put my helmeted head
against it, and tried to raise it; the rung Of
the ladder broke beneath me, but the door
was not raised. My tube came down through
it and kept it partly open, for it was a strong
tube, and kept strongly expanded by close
wound wire.
seized bar of iron, and tried to pry it up;
raised it slightly, but there was no way to
get it up further looked around, and found
some blocks with these l raised the heavy
door, little by little, placing a block in, to keep
what had gained. But the work was slow,
and laborious, and had worked long while
before had it raised four inches.
The sea rolled more and more. The sub
merged vessel felt its power and rocked Sud
denly it wheeled over, and lay upon its side.
ran around to get on deck above, to try
and lift up the door. But when came to the
other outlet, knew it was impossible; for the
tube would not permit me to go so far, and
then ] would rather have died a thousand
deaths than have ventured again so near the
cabin.
returned to the fallen door sat down in
despair and waited for death. saw no hope
of escape. This, then, was TO be my end.
But the steamer gave sudden lurch, again
acted upon by the power of the waves. She
had been balanced upon a rock, in such a way
that a slight action OF .he water was sufficient
to tip her over.
She creaked, and groaned, and laborsd, and
then turned upon her side.
rose l cung to the ladder pressed the
trap-door open, while the steamer lay with
her deck perpendicular to the ground.
sprang out, and touched the bottom of the
sea. 1t was in good time for moment after,
the mass went over back again. Then, with
last effort, twisted the iron fastening of the
weight which kept me DOWN I jerked tit
was loosed, it broke, it fell. In moment I
began to ascend, and in few minutes | was
floating on the water-for the air which is
pressed down for the divers consumption con-
stitutes a buoyant mass which raises him up
from the sea.
Thanks to heavenl There was the strong
boat, with my bold, brave menl They felt me
rising they saw me, and came and saved me.
Rmmer had fled from the horrid scene
when entered the cabin, but remained in the
boat to lend his aid. He never went down
again, but became a sea captain. As for me,
still go down, but only to vessels whose
crews have been saved.
It is needless to say that the Marmion was
never again visited.
-sSSS