Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-09-17
Diving Fell Adventure.

While in the harbor of Valparaiso,
aboard the sloop of-war Virago one of
our midshipmen touched me on the shout
der, and said that Lieut.. BardoIph want
ed TO see me.
81 have heard that you are something
of naturalist, Starbuck," said the off
Ger, smiling.
"No sir" l replied, I" no naturalist, al
though l take interest in"
90, well, never mind" quoth the
Lieut..
"You have seen our diving bell?"
/ answered Yes"
The lieutenant then said that he want
ed me to 90 down under the sea, with
our old boatswaIn HandoIpn, formerly
pearl diver, to look for curious fish,
which on the day previous had been
pierced and killed with pike.
In form, the fish resembled serpent;
was about thirty inches in length, and
had upon both sides of its neck pair of
singular appendages, something like
wings. Its most striking popularity,
however, was one eve, of greenish col
or, situated on the top of IFS head. On
being struck by the pike, the creature
rolled over apparently dying, and then
had gone out of sight.
al think" continued tue lieutenant
''that such a curiosity is worth securing,
and have picked you out to 90 with
Randolph, believing that you are interest
ed in natural history"
/ bowed acquiescence, and went away
to make preparations.
The diving bell was soon on the deck,
ready to be hoistod and swung over the
side. The instrument was little dam
aged, but neither Randolph no. [ antici-
pated danger.
We were presently in our places, sing
ing out Is Ali right| when the bell be
gan TO descend.
Down, down, lower and lower. We
glanced round US on all sides. but saw
nothing of the strange fish. Curiou;
looking specimens of the finny tribe,
however, greeted us in many directions
We could see the sword-fish dart past
with its long, portruding bone-weapon,
the globe fish, the sun-fish, the moon
fish, the balloon-fish and the spitefu
looking shark swept through the greer
waters, almost brushing our bell with tail:
and fins.
The air had become somewhat impure
so we opened the stop cock, and let i
out, feeling a moment after, a fresh sup
ply sent down to us through the Indis
rubber "pipe" or hose secured into the
top of the bell.
Randolph was about touching the sig,
nal cord, to intimate oul desire to be
lowered, still further, when we felt sud
den jerk, felt the bell going down rapid
", and to our horror, realized that the
rope by which the instrument was sus
pended had parted from the hook tc
which it was attached.
Away went the pipe, at the same mo
ment, and we only saved ourselves fiom
instant destruction by stopping up the
aperture, thus left in the top, with thick
handkerchief. Otherwise, the water be
meath must have filed the bell in few
moments.
We heard the water roaring and CUR
Cling round us, as we descended. Our de
scent, however became each instant slow
er, until finally the resistance of the con
fined air in the bell kept us suspended
about two feet above the bottom of the
sea.
The air in our floating prison soon be
came almost unbearable, not only from it
being SO densely compressed, but also from
long confinement.
Terror stricken, we glanced at eacf
other. The eyes of Randolph, portrud
ing from his head, looked bloodshot, ant
tinged with strange green color while
his dusky skin seemed to shrink lik'
shriyeled parchment. The most startling
change in bis appearance was the sudden
apparently supersnnuated look of his Wis
age. A man of fifty, he seemed at teas
thirty years older.