Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-09-23
Diving Bell Adventure.


see me.
81 have heard that you are something
of naturalist, Starbuck," said the officer,
smiling.
mo, sir" | replied "no naturalist, al
though take interest in -
go, well, never mind" quoth the Lieu
tenant. You have seen our diving belly
answered Eyes"
The Lieutenant then said that he wanted
me to go down under the sea, with our old
boatswain, Randolph, formerly a pearl
diver, to look for a curious fish, which on
the day previous had been pierced and
killed with pike.
In form, the fish resembled a serpent;
was about thirty inches in length, and had
upon both sides of its neck pair Of sin
gular appendages, something like wings.
It's most striking popularity, however,
was one eye, of a greenish color, situated
in the top of its head. On being struck
by the pike, the creature had rolled over,
apparently dying, and then had gone out
of sight
81 think" continued the Lieutenant,
"that such curiosity is worth securing,
and have picked you out to go with Ran
dolph, believing that you are interested in
natural history
bowed acquiescence, and went away
to make preparations
The diving bell was soon on the deck,
ready to be hoisted and swung over the
side. The instrument was a little dam
aged, but neither Randolph nor | anI ci-
patcd danger.
We were presently in our places, sing
ing out :" All right" when the bell begun
to descend.
Down, down. lower and lower. We
glanced round us on all sides, but saw
nothing of the strange fish Curious look
ing specimens of the fnny tribe, however,
greeted us in many directions. We could
see the sword-tish dart past, with its long,
protruding bone-weapon; the globe-fsh,
| the sun-fsh, the moon-ish, the balloon
fish, ana the spiteful looking shark swept
through the green waters, almost brush
ing our bell with tails and fins.
The air was become somewhat impure,
so we opened the stop-cock, and let it out,
feeling momentatter fresh supply sent
down to us through the India rubber
pipe or hose secured into the top Of the
bell.
Randolph was about touching the sig.
nal cord, to intimate our desire to be low
| cred still further, when we felt a sudden
jerk, felt the bell going down rapidly, and
to our horror, realized that the rope by
which the instrument was suspended had
parted from the hook to which it was at
/ taChed.
Away went the "pipe" at the same mo-
mcnt, and we only saved ourselves from
instant destruction by stopping up the
/ aperture, thus left in the top with a 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
\ 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 be
/ came almost unbearable, not only from its
being so densely compressed, but also from
/ long confinement.
/ Terrorstricken, we glanced at each
other The eyes Of Randolph, protruding
from his head, looked bloodshot and
J tingcd with a strange green color, while
/ his dusky skin seemed to shrink like
/ shriveled parchment The most startling
change in his appearance was the sudden,
! apparently supemnnuated look Of his
yisage. A man Of fifty, he seemed, ut least,
! Hirty gears 0ldsr.
Presently his teeth began to rattle in
7 his head, his form was bent almost 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--t0
clutch al airi What mockery
"Starbuck,' he presently gasped, God
have mercy on us What shall we do"
What c0uld we do? could only stare
at him, stupid with despair.
The air in the bell became more and
more sitting The boatswain flew to my
side and squeezed me in his mad agony.
4 ] cndeayored TO speak, but onlya hoarse
I rattle in my throat obcyed my will Ny
brain begun to whrl | gaspcd hard for
breath A terrible oppression was upon
my lungs. The boatswain had now re-
/ leased me. | staggered age inst the side of
our PRISON my senses gradually seemed
deserving me.
Gradually, to my confused sight a dark,
redmiSt cloud Scemedto float up all round
the bell My head now felt as though IL
would burst Terribly oppressed, ! fell
upon my knees and would have fallen into
the sea but for the b1atswan, who now
held me-
Then all begun to grow dark. With a
1tfn4rIDr1np effort bylf f....l ,,g,.a,,I f,,A