The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-09-14
DIED OF a BROKEN HEART.
A DIVERS STORY.

A DIVERS STORY.
s'It was horrible, fearful sight to
look down through the thick waters on
that white-faced woman, with thousand
agouies, it seemed to me, impressed on
The swollen features, or looking through
the set. staring, CLASSY eyes, as she lay on
the deck, holding her twin babies In her
arms, lifeless, and distorted as herself,
said the diver, in tones low and sad, shud-
dering, as he spoke.
''Of this woman and her babies ?" |
asked.
lie did not appear to apprehend, or If
he did, ignored my question.
How very still 1t ls-away down tWen-
ty fathoms below the surface Of the wa
tiers. 1t is only when you are in the
depths where absolute silence reigns, with
The fair light OF the sun far above YOU
that terror steals slowly but surely into
the stoutest heart. On the sands of the
ocean bed, or clambering over the deck
and debris of ship that once plowed the
waves CALAMITY amid storm and calm,
you learn how insignificant even the bold
est man really Is Encased In armor,
and with a great helmet covering your
head, through the thick glass plate OF
which you look out upon the waters that
everywhere envelope and press upon you,
you have but a small air pipe between
you and eternity. Let that break, OF
become entangted SO that you lose for a
single minute the fresh air that is pump
ed through 1t from the apparatus above,
and you may never again, with your
physical eyes, look on the fair, inviting
world, that is SO near, and yet so far, ~
as the song has it. Let, L repeat, that
f-os 10 no IF,
Ial than India rubber or gutta percha, be
Enotted or torn, and asphyxia would on
the instant Follow, and when, if ever. you
were drawn up to the surface, it would
be as corpse.
We followed this business of diving
Tor upward OF twenty years, continued
jackson, as he stood at the end Of the
boat, II his diving apparel, his helmet at
his feet, anu which IN minute could be
adjusted so that he could resume his sub
aqueous explorations, and | never vet
coald feel Indifferent when | entered the
water and gradually fell, as it were.
through an element that as [ descended
became more and more energetic to nv
downward progress and it Is this very
resisting force that makes the feeling of
dread come into he mind, for should the
little air-pipes fail, millions OF tons Of wa
ter are on the diver head ready to crush
him as you could an egS-shell between
your fingers.
But there is another thing that makes
my profession, it not hazardous, tedious,
and iaborous. L have been at times from
three to four hours at work, upward of a
hundred feet below the surface of the sea,
on wreck, and, when at length worn
out, have slgnaled to reascend, it was
with an Involuntary prayer that might
never descend again alone. Yes, sir,
that's the exact word-alone. 1t is
dreadful, always, to feel that you are cut
from your fellows with semi transparent
barrier OF twenty fathoms, and only this
little, flexible pipe TO sustain strength as
well as life!
L remember once how very near ]
came to being suffocated in my armor,
and all because OF the stupidity of the
man above, whose business it was to in
Ierpret the signals [ had been sent
down 10 examine an emigrant ship that
had sunk III twenty fathoms. Her masts
had been swept overheard in drea ful
storm OF the coast. and when, carving
nearly two hundred souls, she came with
III sight OF land, the settled very unex-
pectedly III the water, and as she sank to
the bottom, all those souls. save boat
crew, We're carried with her.
jackson paused, and invountarily. il
seemed to NE, passed his big, horny
hands over his browS and eyes There
were, when he removed them, tears in
the latter
Iaa5 was an awful visit to the dead
81 Which L came near being one myself
Ihere, on the deck of the sunken shin
were dozens OF human corses. Some
there were standing by the rigging-the
vessel had settled squarely on her keel
otaers holding to the rails, and here and
there groups OF nen, women, and children
husbands. wives. sisters and brothers
standing Or kneeling, locked in each
other arms; ami others, and by far tine
larger number. were king on the deck
,sftts stfcIr eyes WIDE open, looking at you
from every side, and yet without ever
the expression that you imagine you see
IL The eyes OF marble statue. And, sir
what added to the horror of the scene
was the liie-li&e motion those who stood
or krelt appeared to have The shin
Us have said, had settled on her keel
ahd the sand on which it rested, being
pretty compact, the reaction of the tide
ABOVE gave the hull an osciliatorv move
lnent that impaired a sort of life-in-
SeaIh appearance to the inanima.e
lorias that were thickly strewn around
me- U'1
ION, perhaps, have an idea of the
the seasoning sensation with which [ at
tempted my explorations in behalf of the
nnd9rwriters OF this vast ocean coffin
iilIed with the dead that, at times. - 7
have just said, looked animate IN he
Involuntary movements of the swav;ne,
. and fro OF the vessel impaired -
them" "
fastened to complete the task had
been authorized TO undertake, namely ~
set at he safe In the main cabin; and il
could not open it with key or crowbar,
10 attach ropes to il, aud cause it to be
raised by the wreckers' boat, then laying
Immediately over me, in the sunlight"
In NJ desire TO get away from this
tomb OF the sea-buried, / did not act with
that caution which l usually observe when
In the water
sAVhile descending the companion
stairs, the air-tube became entaugled
and. to add to my terror. the signal man
1olsinterprcted a message | had dispatch
Cd TO cease pumping air to me-ycu see