The weekly standard., 1869-10-06

its head. On beng STRUCK by the pike, the
creature had rolled over, apparently dying,
and then went out of sight.
81 think" continued the Lieutenant, ''that
such curiosity is worth seeing, and have
picked you out to go with Randolph, be-
iieving that you are interested in natural his
tory"
/ bowed acquiescence. and went to make
preparations.
The diving bell was soon on the deck
and ready to he hoisted and swung over the
side. The instrument was little damaged,
though neither Randolph nor anticipated
danger.
We were presently in our places, singing
out 'All right! !" when the bell began to des-
cend.
Down, down, lower and lower We CLAN
ced round us on all sides, but saw nothing
of the strange fish. Curious looking speci-
mems of the fnny tribes, however, greeted US
in many directions. We could see the sword
fish dart past, with its long, protruding
bone-weapon; the globe fish, the sun fish,
the moon fish, the balloon fish, and the spite
ful looking shark as he swept through the
green waters, almost brushing our bell with
tail and fins.
The air was becoming somewhat impure,
so we opened the stop cock. and let it out.
feeling moment after fresh supply sent
down to us through the India rubber pipe
or hose firmly secured into the top of the
bell
Randolph was about touchi 1g the signal
cord to intimate our desire to be lowered
still further, when we felt sudden jerk, felt
the bell going down radidly, and to our hor-
ror realized that the rope by which the in
strument was suspended had parted from
the hook to which it was attached.
Away went the pipe" at the same mo-
ment, and we only saved ourselves from in
slant destruction by stopping up the apper-
ture thus left in the top with a thick hand
kerchief. Otherwise, the water beneath
must have filled the bell in a very few mo-
ments ...
We heard the water roaring and gurgling
round us as we descended; our descent,
however, became each instant slower until
finally the resistance of the confined air in
the bell kept US suspended about two feet
above the bottom of the sea.
The air in our floating prison soon became
almost unbearable, not only from its being
so densely compressed, but also from long
confinement.
Terror-stricken, we glanced at each other.
The eyes of Randolph, protruding from his
head, looked bloodshot and tingcd with
strange green color, while his dusky skin
seemed to shrink like shriyelled parchment.
The most startling change in his appearance
was the suddenly apparently superannuated
look of his visage. A man Of fifty, he seem
ed at least thirty years older.
Presently his teeth began to rattle in his
head, his form was almost bent double he
threw his arms around him in agony, as if
clutching at something.
How horribly useless this pantomime
seemed to me! He wanted fresh air-to
clutch at air! What a mockery.
Starbuck," he presently gasped. God
| have mercy on us. What shall we dor
What could we do ? Icould hardly stare
at him, stupid despair.
| The air in the bell became more and more
sitting. The boatswain flew to my side
and squeezed me in his mad agony
endeavored to speak, but only hoarse
rattle in my throat obeyed my will. My
brain began to whirl. 1 gasped hard for
breath. A terrible oppression was upon my
| lungs. The boatswain had now released me.
l staggered against the side of our prison :;
my senses gradually seemed deserting me-
Gradually, to my confused sight, dark
red mist cloud seemed to float up all round
the bell. Ny head now felt as though it
would burst. Terribly oppressed l fell upon
my knees, and would have fallen into the
sea but for the boatswain, who now held
me-
Then all began to grow dark. With a
superhuman effort half raised myself and
looked around me, feeling like one cropping
in the dark. Bewildered, full of the most
agonizing pain, became aware that some
thing was swaying up and down before
my sight; up and down in that red mist
cloud, mingling with the water. 1 made
another effort-a great effort to compre-
hend what it was this swaying thing, and
l at last did so understood that it was
hook attached to the end of rope, low
| cred to us from the deck of the Virago. so
| far above. .r.. r.t
"Starbuck!" !" gasped the boatswain, "rll
| dash open the lens-this was glass-in the
top of the bell; then you stand by to hook it
| on the inside"
Lust managed to hear the words, and
| they strengthened me with a wild hope,
although L was SllI So DeWlluereQ tnat
could scarcely now see the swaying hook.
| The boatswain's arm was before my ewes.
With one blow of his huge fist, dealt with
the remains of his great strength he sllivered
the lens. t aa1
There was a roaring sound; it was the
upward rushing of the water into the bell as
the air escaceped. .. .-r.r.l
There was no time to lose l thrust my
arm through the aperture and drew in the
hook, quickly attaching it to the top of the
inside of the instrument
The next moment the water came bub-
bling over the heads Of the boatswain and
myself, and that was the last 1 remembered
of what transpired in the bell.
When recovered my senses l found my
self in the steerage, with the ships doctor
bending overmc. r ~
"a narrow escape" were his first words.
Where is Randolph ~ exclaimed.
Here" answered feeble voice, and ris-
ing, beheld the boatswain in a bunk under
me. ...... .I,-. b .-.f.-,tfs.. +. f-...-....
"He had a narrower escape than you had, y
said the doctor. "The thumb of his right
hand was bit off by shark, which made a
spring for it just as we pulled you two into
the cutter, after the diving bell was hauled
to the surface" ...