The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-03-23
B. NJ. BOYER
" DOwn among tbe DEAD Men. ;,

OS"4 @AAAOAE JIG OSdQ 0Su.
In connection with the recent startling ac-
cident at Regents Park, London, late Lon.
don papers give the operations of the divers
who were employed to recover the remains
of the dead
The diver first removed his shoes, and then
drew on two pairs of long white wooden
stockings, reaching nearly to his hips, and
pulled a thick shirt Of corresponding mate
rial over his shoulders and ali his ordinary
clothes, Flannel knee breeches kept the
other garments comfortably together; and
the addition of red, high cap, doubled,
completed the likeness to one Of the white
| jacketed sailors that figure largely in Dutch
pieces The diving dress proper was next
assumed. Take two of the stoutest water
proof capes, and sew sheet of India rubber
! between-that is the material; draw it on
| ike sack for running races in, save that
each leg has its own separate pouch to fit
intoi instead of one common sack for both
/ feet, and that is the shape Heavy boots
with substantial soles of lead complete the
| equipment of the lower man; the upper, of
course, must be securely cased Round what
would be in the parallel case the mouth of
the sack, and what in this instance forms the
neck OF the diving dress, there are a number
/ OF brass studs, upon which, with the aid of
! screws, fit brass plates shaped to the shout
| ders, and eventually curiass, about half
/ the length, back and front of those in use
among the household troops. This curiass
! closes IN the whole of the upper part of the
! body as far as the neck, which is left ex-
| posed, very much as if the Wearer were about
to be guillOntined-an impression which is,
/ if possible, strengthened during the subse-
! quent screwing on of the gigantic head piece
/ One can imagine that it must have formed
an anxious study to the original diving dress
maker how to leave the hands and arms free,
and yet prevent the water entering at those
! extremities. In the present day the diff
i Guilty Is surmOunted by terminating the
/ sleeves of the diving dress with stout cuffs of
| vulcanized India rubber, tapered to point.
1t requires the violent efforts of two men to
! assist In pulling open the cuff, and the
/ wearer thrusting his arm forward as if he
was delivering knock down blow, before
/ the hands can be got through, one at a time.
/ A belt round the waist, with a stout knife in
a leather sheath, line to attach to the ladder
/ when he goes down, so that he NAV know
/ the point from which he started and so cal
culate the distance Travelled, two fifty pound
weights fastened to his shoulders. another
/ line iOoped around his body, and called the
/ " life line, with which to signal to those
above, or in case of urgent need to be pulled
up by, and the divers equipment is complete
I
last moment the glass plate in front of his
mouth is not inserted, and the pumping ar
| paratus must be IN regular action before the
/ plate Is screwed home Then the diver stems
on to his ladder, one Of his comrades SURVEYS
him from head to heel to see If he is all right
| gives friendly tap of dismissal on the he'll
meta piece of diving freemasonrv never
omitted-and down he goes Nothing bat a
faint signing noise has been heard from the
air pump until the helmet reaches the sur
face of the water, and then a rush and bub-
bling strikes the ear, and the surface of the
water IN a limited circle leaps and dances as
If some large fish were sporting about near
the top of the water. The helmet, at first as
bright silver, seems, as it sinks. to be-
come oxidized, and grows darker and darker
in color until It gradually recedes from sicbt.
although whenever the surface of the water
was not covered with ice, the track of the
diver could be traced by the bubbling. and
even where the ice was thin the air could be
seen endeavoring TO escape in large milk
white globules. AS the man pIOdded about
now with his helmet close to or above the
surface, and now, from the length of line
paid out, evidently down in holes sixteen or
seventeen feet in depth, and at distance Of
forty or fifty feet from the punt some mar
donable uneasiness was felt by many ner
/ sons on has account, remembering that with
al his harness on he carried close on two
hundred pounds weight, and that the bottom
of the lake was Overlaid with thick sofs mud
It was explained, however, that the driver
had at his command three modes OF escaDe
from any difficulty down below He could
either close the valve and he would float or
he could signal 70 those above to pull him 10
by the life line. There were three divers.
who each went down In turn, remaining be-
low from twelve to twenty-five minutes at a
time, and in the FIRST instance explored thor