, 1864-01-03
LIFE UNDER WATER.
Tho Divers and tho Monitors,
Correspondence OF tho Baltimore Ameriean,1
Orr MoRR1s ISLAND. S, C..

Orr MoRR1s ISLAND, S. C.,
Christmas ETc. Dec. q, 1863,
During recent visit to Port Royal, wit
messed With considerable interest the opera
tons Of the divers employed to clean tue 5ot.
toms ,of TIC monitors, and perform other
operations Under tie water. Efessrs. Joseph
Il. Smith and James B. Phelps huvo a -c6n.
tract with the Government for the perform
ance Of this work, and hare been of great use
here Their principal divcr-appropriatel
named Wtters-is SO used to this work that
he hns become almost amphibious, remaining
for five or six hours at time under water,
4 man Of herculean strength and proper
tions, when clad In his submarine arMor he
becomes morstrcus In size and appearance.
A more singular sight than to sec lin roll or
tumble into tue water md disappear from
sight, or popping up, blowing, as the air cs-
capes from his helmet, like young whale,
can scarcely he imagined.
Waters has his own ideas OF q 1okc. and
when he has curious audience will wave
bis ec1aper about as he "bobs around" on
the water, with the air Of veritable river
god. One Of his best 5okcs-the better for
being o nveritable fact-occrrred last summer,
Whilst he was employed scrap1ng the hull Of
one Of the Monitors, negro from one of the
up-nTer plantations came alongside with
hoatload of water.mslons. Whilst busy sell
ling his melons the diver came up, md rested
on the side OF the boat. The negro stared at
the extraordinary appearance thus suddenly
coming ont Of the water with alarmed won
melons III lie &c boat aud dfEappearcd under
the wnter, The gurgl1ng Of the air from the
fright Of the negro reached o climax. Hastily
sciztng his his oars, without waiting to be
paid for his melons, he put oil at lis best
tptcd, and has not been seen in the vicinity
OF Station Greek since. Ho cannot be tempt
ed beyond the bounds Of his plantation, and
ht0 Hn1.n 1,rr .r4k' k'.3--
devils to aid them in making war.
The diver. when clothed in his armor Ia
weighed with ono hundred end efghty-fv
pounds. Besides this artnor he has two lead
en- pads, fitting to his breast end back The
soles Of Ills shoes arc of lead, IN inch and q
half thick. All this weight Is needed to over
come the buoyancy given by the mass Of air
forced into the armor and dress, the latter Of
india rubber, worn By the diver. When be-
low the surface he can instantly bring him
sell up by closing momcntariEy theaperturein In
the helmet for the escape OF the air. his
buoyancy is immediately increased, and be
pops up like cork and 1oats at will upon
the surface.
The work Of scraping tie bottoms of the
MGLttors is Ntrr arduo1s. The diver Its upon
spar, lashea athwaru the bottom OF tile 1ea-
eel, so arranged as to be moved 'as tho work
PROGRESSES, md with scraped fixed to long
handle works On both sides Of himself as far
as be eAn reach. The mass of oysters that
become attached to the iron hu1ls of one Of
the Monitors, even during one summer here,
is immense. by actual measurement It was
estimated that two hundred and tfty bushels
Of oysters. shells and seagrass were taken
from the bottom OF the Montauk alone. The
captains Of the Monitors have sometimes In
dnlged in the novelty OF mess of oysters
raiscd on the lu}ls Of their own vessels.
Besides cleaning the Monitors the divers
perform other important services. They
have Ianeacked the interior Of the KeokuE,
attached buoys TO lost nnchors, and made
under Hnter examinations of the rebel OBJ
structions. Waters recently examined the
snnken Wcehawken and met an unusual dan
ger for even his periious calling. The sea
was 20 violent that. he. was twice thrown
from the deck Of the bionitor. Finally get
ting hold Of the iron ladder lie climbed to the
top of the turrct, when heavy sea cast him
inside The turrct between the guns. Fearing
that his air hose would become entangled, be
madc Lis way out with all possible spccd,
and WIS forced to give mp his Investigations
until calnler weather Offered q more iayoru-
bic opportunity,