Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-11-20
The Two Divers.
A STORY or PERIL.

i, w AUS bIVWu, lOlIDW very NAIlIu-
Gus calling, or, at all events, calling in
which, if YOU choose to face dangers for
the sake OF higher remuneration, perious
adventures are common enough. ] am
not too preshmptuous when | say am
as brave as most men, naturally, and nv
sense of fear has been further blunted
by constant coinpanionship with dan
ger. The adventure ] am about to mar
rate was horrible enough to me when
was principal actor in it, and TO this
day an involuntary shudder of horror
accompanies the recollection Of it.
Some years ago a large vessel laden
with mixed cargo was bound to New
York from South America. Striking a
sunken reef off the dangerous coast Of
Florida, she was wrecked, and very few
ot the passengers or seamen escaped.
The owner, who was also captain, was
drowned. His heirs lived in New York.
1t appears that the vessel had settled
down in the ocean, having escaped the
attack of any storm, so, as might be sup
posed, her cargo would be pretty well
recoverable, but it was a useless and
foolish attempt to try TO get any thing
| from her in lonely sea, and on dan
gerous coast. However, one of those
men whom nature has formed for the
out-ot-the-way modes of getting money
in this world, having obtained the CON
sent OF the heirs in New York, fitted out
a large yacht, and promising money only
on condition of success, | was prompted
to hazard the spec-it agreed with my
| adventurous disposition, and l signed
articles, and shipped myself. After a
deal Of trouble we picked up another
diver, a coarse, brutal. drunken rascal,
whose condact as hereafter seen will suf-
ficiently justify these remarks. From
the beginning | had n kind of antipathv
| against the fellow, and shrank from his
acquaintance as from some loathsome
reptile. His profile was that of a ba-
boon; his eyes, peering from under his
heavy brows, twinkled with Satanic
wickedness, and seemed to be looking all
ways at once; and when he laughed, his
Satantic majesty himself might have
envied his ugly grin. Ny employer
stunned him, and would gladly have
parted with him, but no other con!d be
found to engage in such foolhardy
scheme.
Having got the diving.bell and other
apparatus on board, we set sail on this
novel pursuit of lucre. The voyage was
fine, and having nothing to do, enjoyed
it very much, and was even softening
toward my fellow diver, when we reach
ed that part of the coast of Florida
where the sunken wreck lay, and where
our fortunes were buried beneath the
waves.
We were considerable time in dis
covering the wreck, but we found it at
last, far down in the depths of the still
blue sea, where troops Of sharks were
pursuing each other about and through
it, for want of better prey. No pleas
ant sight, l can assure you. My fellow
diver gave them fearful curse, and took
an extra long pull at his brandy flask.
As Tor myself, the affair seemed more
dangerous than ever The vessel would
have to be moored above he'd of reefs.
and if n storm were to rise, ill-fate would
catch us, for there is little mercy to be
expected for a ship from the cruel and
Jagged coral. However, | plucked up
the very best heart, saying to myself
"My dear fellow, the more danger the
more money" Jim Crow-tlat was the
divers name-gave uttcrance to no.
wise pleasant oath, about having been
swindled, muttering at the end, but "I'll
pay them off deuced sharp, or I'm not
-" concluding his sentence very sus-
pioiously. which did not tend to increase
my confidence respecting his intentions.
We pulled back to the ship, after pac-
ing buoy to maik the spot. The two
next days Jim Crow and | were busy in
preparing our things for the attack on
the sunken wreck The tide of my
thoughts was checked by my work, but
| still noticed that Grow was in an evil
mood. After about four days were spent
the ship was anchored. The bell was
swung for the plunge, and Crow and l
went below and dressed. My suspicious
seemed now on the increase, and my
readers may think that was very fear
tul, but provided myself with a long
and sharp knife, which l stuck unob-
served down my long leathern boot
Grow stuck one in his belt, saying with
a rather diabolical laugh, 81 think it is
better being prepared for water sharks" :"
and l almost think he added Gland
sharks" This opened my eyes a little,
and some rather curious speGrIlations
fitted through my brain. He was a$man
to be feared, being hugely big and strong,
and wicked withal.
With many such reflections I took my
place in the bell, and amid the hurrahs OF
the crew and the cxctehent OF the mas
ter, we dipped into the sea. Common
life had passed away, and, to nOvi ice, a
new world opens to his eyes beneath}the
wave, and even to me the scene was
fresh. The coral reefs, like grand archi-
tectural structures, covered with weeds
and shells of he deep, of every-possible
variety of color; the fish, large and
small, darting about in the water, and
flying at the approach of the bell as be.
fore the sweep of the sharks, and even
they grInned with their long jaws, and
fled upon our approach. Down, down,
down, till the light was dim, and then
we struck the wreck. Armed with crow.
bcrs, sharp at one end to repulse the
sharks and other monsters of the deep
we planted our feet. Instantly we sepa.