Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-10-23
Down Among the Dead Men.

The danger fascinatcs some, but the peril is
never for moment lost sight of. put on
the helmet for the first time more than ten
years ago, aud yet l never assume it with.
out a feeling that it may be the last time l
shall ever go down. Of course one has
more confidence after while, but there is
something iu Icing shut up in an armor,
weighed down with hundred pounds, and
knowing that little leak in your life.pipe
is your death, that no diver can ever get
rid Of And do not know that l should
care to Danish the feeling, for the sight Of
the clear blue sky, the genial sun, and the
face Of fellow man after long hours among
the fishes, makes you feel like one who has
suddenly been drawn away from the grasp
of death. l have had some narrow escapes
while pursuing my strange profession;
every diver has, or has been unusually
lucky to escape them.
Think the most dangerous place ever
got into was going down to examine the
propeller Comet sunk off Toledo In
working about her bottom, l got my air.
pipe coiled over large silver from the
STAYED hold, and could not reach it with
my hands. Every time sprung up to re-
move the hose my tender would give mo
the slack" of the line, thus letting me
fall back again. lie did not understand
his duties, and did not know what my sig
nails on the lifeline meant. 1t was two
hours aud a half before was relieved, and
there was not moment that l was not
looking to see the hose cut by the ragged
wood. 1t is a strange feeling you have
down there. You so walking over vcs-
sci, clambcrins up her sides, peerins here
and there, and the feeling that you are
alone makes you nervous aud uneasy.
Sometimes vessel sinks down so fair.
ly that she stands up on the bottom and as
neat as if she rode on the surface Then
you can 90 down into cabin, upon the
shrouds, walk all over her, just as easy as
sailor could if she were still dashing away
before the breeze. Only it seems so quiet,
SO tomb-likc; there are no waves down
there-only a swaying back and forth Of
the water, and a see-sawing Of the ship.
You hear nothing from above. The great
f-hcs will come swimming about rubbing
their noses against your glass, and staring
with a wondering look into your eyes.
The very stiffness sometimes gives life
chill. You hear just moaning, waiing
sound, like the last notes of an organ, and
you cannot help but think of dead men
floating over and around you.
l have been down especially to rescue
the bodies of those drowned. About four
years ago the propeller Buckeye, belong
ing to the Northern Transportation Com
pany, went down in the river St. Lawrence,
in seventy eight feet Of water, and it was
known that woman and child were asleep
in their stateroom at the time of her sink
ing. The father begged of me and offered
me good deal of money to take out the
the corpses, and though l dreaded the
work, l at last consented. l had been
all over the wreck two or three times and
knew just where the stateroom was. The
door was fast locked, and waited good
while before bursting it open.
OF course dead person couldn't harm
you, but even in broad day, on shore, with
people around you, don't you know that
the sight and presence Of dead person
brings up solemn thoughts and nervous
feeling? 1 knew how they would look,
how they were floating around the room
and if the father hadn't been looking so
wretched above, there was no money to
tempt me in there But at last 1 got
crowbar from forward and, not letting my
self think, gave the light door blow that
stove it in. The water came rushing out,
the vessel just then lurched over towards
my side, and out they came; the woman
first, her eyes wide open and hair trailing
behind, and in her left hand she held the
hand of the child. I knew how they
would loook, but I screamed out and
jumped back. Her face was fcarfully dis.
torted, showing how hard death had been
met, and the eyes looked through the green
waters at me in way that made my flesh
creep. The child had died easily, its lit
tie white face giving no signs of terror.
A diver does not like to 20 down more
than hundred and twenty feet; at that
depth the pressure is painful, aud there is
danger of internal injury. I can stay
down for Ave or six hours at time. at