Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-06-05
UNDER THE WATER.

The arsf invention to promote subsqnc
y search was the diving g-bcll, clums,
nsel which isolates the diver. Il is en-
pressing. II not dangerous. where ther,
> strong current OF If il rests upon .
lAns deck II limits the vision, and il
- instance il is supposed the vretched
leer Waa taken from the bell by shark
pernifs an sssistant. however, and {
liver wiIl plunge from the deck abov.
~ d the Vessel. to the iuvariabls
surprise Of his companions. An example
Of one Of its perils. settling in the mud
occurred. ] think. in the port of New York
A party OF amateurs. supported BY cham.
pagne TASKS and reporter. went down.
The bell settled and stuck like a boys
sucker. One of the party proposed shak-
ing or rocking the bell. and doing so. the
water was forced under and the bell lifted
from the ooze
But descent in submarine armor is the
true way to visit the world under water.
The first sensation in descending is the
sudden bursting roar Of furious. Niagarac
cascades in the ears. 1t thunders and
oooms upon the startled nerve with the
rush and storm of an avalanche. The
sense quivcrs with it. But i, is not air
shaken By reflected blows; it is the cas-
cades driven into the enclosing helmets by
the force pump. As the frxile hose has
to be stifiiy 1istended to bear an aqueous
gravity of twenty-five to fifty pounds to
the square inch. the force Of the current
can be estimated The ,ympanum of the
ear yields to the fierce external pressure.
The brain feels and mu,iplies the intolc--
able tension as If the interior was clamped
in a vice, and that tumultuous, thunder
ing torrent pours on. Invountariiy the
mouth opens; the air ru>hes in the Eus-
tachian tube. and with sudden velocity
strikes the intruled tension of the drum,
which snaps back to its normal state with
n sharp. pistol-like crack The strain is
momentarily relieved to be renewed again.
and again relieved by the same attending sa-
lutes. In your curious dress you must appear
monstrous. even to that marine world. IA
miliar with abnormal creations The whale
looks from eyes on the top of his head; the
sole. halibut. have both ewes on
the same side; and certain crus,acca place
the organ on foot stalk. as If one were to
hold up his eye in his hand to include
wider horizon. But the monster which
the fish now sees differs from all these. -
1t haSHfa2E great gcggle eyes arranged
svns
sees curious. strange beauty OF the
world around him. not as the bather secs
it. blurred and indistinct. bu, in the calm
splendor of its own thallassphere. The
first thought is one of unspeakable admi-
ration of the miraculous beauty Of every
thing around him-a glory and a splen-
dor of refraction, interference. and rcfcc-
tion that puts to shame the Arabian story
of the kingdom of the Blue Fish Above
him is that pure golden canopy with its
rare, glimmerirg lustrousncss-somethin
like the soft, dewy effulgcnce that comes
with sunbreaks through showcry after
moons. The soft delicacy of that pure.
straw-yellow that prevails everywhere is
crossed and lighted By tints and glimmer-
ing hues of accidental and supplementary
color indcscribably elegant The foor of
the sea rises like golden carpet in gem
tie incline to the surface; but this incline.
experience soon teaches. is an occular de-
cep'ion. the effect of refraction. such as n
tumb!er of water and a spoon can exhibit
in petty. 1t is perhaps the first observa-
bic warning that you are in a new medi-
um. and that your familiar friend. the
light. comes TO YOU altered in its nature;
and il is as well to remember this and
''make a note on it."
Raising your eyes to the horizontal and
looking straight forward. n new and beau
tiful wealth of color is developed 1t is
at first delicate blue. as if an accidental
color of the prevailing yellow. But soon
it decpens into rich violet You feel as
if you had never before appreciated the
lovelincss of that rich tint A. your eve
dwells upon it the rich lustrous violet
darkens to indigo. and. sinking into deep
er hues. becomes a majestic thread of COL
or. Ii is ominous, vivid. blue black
solid. adamantine. a crystal wall of ame-
thyst. 1t is all around YOU You are
cased, dungeoned in the solid masonry of
the waters. II is beauty indeed. but the
sombre and awful beauty of the night and
storm. The eye turns fnr relief and re-
assurance to the paly golden lus,rous roof.
and watches that tender penciling which
hrightens every object il touches. The
hull of the sunken ship. lying slant and
open TO the sun. has been long enough
submerged to be crusted with barnacles.
hydropores. crustacea. and the labored
of the microscopic existence
and vegetation that Gil the sea The song
OF Ariel becomes vivid and realistic in its
rich word-power:
"Fall fathom FIVE thy fa'ber lies;
OF bis bones are coral made
Those are pearls that were his ewes:
Nothing Of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-chaage
Into something rich and strange"
The TRANSPORTATION of familiar objects
is indeed curious and wonderful. The
hull. once gaudy with paint aud gliding.
has come under the skill of the lapidary
and sea-ariist. IL Is crus:ed with emer-
aid aud fossy moses. and glimmers vita
diamond. jacinth. ruby. topaz. sapphire
and gold Every jewel-shape in leaf.
spore. coral OF plume. lying on q green
ish crys,slline ground. is fringedr with
son radiance Of silver Gre. and every pOias
is tipped Tn inmate cilia,c flames OF faint
sseely purple. II is spotted with soft vel
vesy black wherever shadow falls. that
mingics and varies The wonderful display
OF color. IL is brilliant. vivid. chaBrea-
be With the ia;s-sreaees Of light from the