The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-01
EeAGAY sEel0JRNA e.
YeDNEsDAY, JUNE 1, 1870.
At the EOttem OF the Bea-ThrtEiSng
Adventures ola Diver Who Visited
che Oneida.


At the EOttom Of the Bea-Thr,5isng
Adventures ola Diver Who Visited
Che Oneida
On the 24th day of February, the
borrowed" steamship Aroostoak,
with Charles and j. s Lougee pracsi-
cal and experienced divers, from San
ancisco, went to where the Oneida
Lies in one hundred and twenty three
feet of water. After the usual prepa-
Fations had been concluded, and, By
sounding, it had been ascertained
that tho deck of the Oneida was one
hundred and three feet beneath the
surface of the bay; after every caution
had been given to eight strong sailors
E0 keep the pump constantly in
motion, and allow not an instant of
time of stoppage to occur, as thereby
depended tina life of the bold diver;
after Charley Lougee had been he'll
meted and shut from air, except that
supplied through the slender tube of
eoiled rubber. with a lifeline around
hrs body, and leaden clogs to his feet,
with Good bye" and God bless you"
from all aboard, be was dropped over
che side, and slowly disappeared in
the blue waves, while a nervous trem-
on shot through our frame as we real
iga1 the fearful risk undertaken by
that man, who was seeking for truth
iu over one hundred feet of water.
away to the leeward, borne By the
tide and wind, came floating bubbles
90 The surface-life signals from below.
The men at the pump were laboring
mBnfully, but, becoming fatigued, at
tempted to change for fresh hands.
and there was q stop. Great God
y0u will murder my brotherl Quick
-Aeaven's sake, quick II And as
sus men recommended the revolutions
Oh The air pump, the elder Lougee,
with blanched face and trembling lip,
RaYe q signal on the lifeline below.
For an instant there came no response,
and the face of that brother seemed
co urn to marble; but then we saw
tao quick motions from the submarine
station, and knew it was the welcome
signal Of ''all right" and then Lougee
frrned to the men at the wheel, and
gin ply said: MY only brothers life
depends upon your efforts in keeping
chs pump in motion-stop again at
YOUR peril" The calm face and pas
ai5aa ate eye told these men not 10 stop
axsin, and with Lieutenant Tanner
Gloss by, they kept at work until
stopped by orders from Lougee.
eantime, while we were on the
deck of that sand pan" counting the
tedious moments which heightened to
hs an hour. Charley Lougee was
se ching the0neida at thetremendous
depth mentioned. At last came the
signal for "sugface," and instantly the
IAs line was put In motion; slowly
came the coiling hemp and rubber on
deck, and at last, away in the deep
blHa waves, came in sight the diver,
shrouded and panoplied in wierd gar
megts. As he came to the surface he
rea 3hed Minister belong a sword and
Aac uered box, and then was his he'll
met loosed, and our party crowded
around to hear of the gallant ship.
A moDg our party were many of the
survivors Of the Oneida; among
then were William Crowninshield,
tain Clark, Master Yates, and DR..
James Suddards, who were intensely |
e&cited to learn the tidings.
aid the diver: THE water for the |
seventy feet was quite clear, as
lha sun gave excellent light, and al |
81 ugh my supply of air was once
ah83ked for an instant, | reached the
lek of the ship just astern of the
zn4 zen-mast, and close by the mess
room hatch; the tide was ebbing quite
lng, and | was compelled to hold
to ines from the rigging to keep from
eaing swept forward. first examin-
Cd he eide of the ship; she was cut
Ea the mizzen rigging Cat an angle
of about forty degrees), across the
Waale stern of the ship, her timbers,
r below the water line, being crushed
and broken, the captains cabin cut IN
8, and the wheel and steering gear
a carried away, and. in fact, the
s. ole side and end of the ship, stove
So Or cut away. The ship is heading
uthwest, and sits upright on the
o1ttom, and is making sand slowly.
aid down on the deck and peered
over the broken end into the cabin,
hua did not dare trust my airline in
con tact with the jagged timbers. The
Guns and armament. except one, are
al in place aft; but / did not go for
ward, as / was afraid of ENHANCEMENT
I'd he rigging" Turning to Crownin-
shiald, be said Your evidence. which
& aad, described almost exactly the
aniary, except she was cut deeper than
tha1 you could have known" Lougee
oppressed the belief that it will be i'm
prsoticable to raise the ship. but that
ha splendid battery, personal effects,
etc., can be saved if the Government
sees proper.
BY this survey the testimony of the
wing is verified, and the memory of
8ba dead without stain, for the po-
IN Of the ship as found, and the
p ltions of both the Oneida and Bonn
g, as testified to by the navigating
sers, show that it was impossible
a the captain of the Bombay to have
sar seen the red light of the Oneida,
ana that the order of Port your
he ~" by Captain Eyre, was wrong,
and the 'Starboard, hard -a-starboard"
8 faster Yates was right Cores
aes Heace Sacramento Bee,