The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-22
UNDER THE WATER.

ONOGh luE NA1Eh.
The first invention to promote sub
aqueous search was the diving-bell, II
clumsy vessel which isolates the diver
1t is embarrassing, if not dangerous,
Where there is strong current or if it
rests upon a slant deck. 1t limits the
vision, and in one instance it is sup
posed the wretched diver was taken
trom the bell by shark. 1t permits an
assistant, however, and bold diver
Will plunge from the deck above and
ascend in the vessel, to the invariable
surprise of his companion. An example
OF one OF its perils, settling in the mud,
occurred, l think, i'll the port of New
York; A party of amateurs, supported
by champagne TASKS and q reporter
Went dowri. The bell settled and stuck
hAe boys sucker. One of the party
propoS,ed shaking or rocking the bell,
and doing SO, the water was forced
un,ter aud the bell lifted from the ooze.
But descent in submarine armor is
the true way to visit the world under
water. Tle first sensation in descend
ing is the sudden bursting roar of furi-
Gus, Niagarac cascades in the ears. 1t
thunders and booms upon the startled
nerve with the rush and storm of an
avalanche. The sense quivers with it.
But it is not air shaken by reflected
blows it is the cascades driven into
the enclosing helmets by the force-pump.
AS the hexile hose has to be stiifiy dis
tended to bear an aqueous gravity OF
twenty-five to fifty pounds to the square
lnch, the force of the current can be es-
timated. The tympanum of the ear
yields to the fierce external pressure
Thn 1lroy,, fon1o o,,1 ,,,,14;,,liac fha IN
tolera5e tension as If the interior was
clapped in a vice, and that tumultuous,
th'lndering torrent pours on. Involun-
tarily the mouth opens the air rushes
in the Eustachian tube, and with sudden
velocity strikes the intruded tension of
the drum, which snaps back to its nor
NAL state with sharp, pistol-like crack.
The strain is momentarily relieved to
be renewed again, and again relieved by
the same attending salutes.
In your curious dress you must ap-
pear .monstrous, even to that marine
world, familiar with abnormal creations.
The whale looks from eyes on the top
of his head ; the hat-fsh, sole, halibut,
have both eyes on the same side and
certain crustacea place the organ on o
foot-stalk, as if one were to hold up his
eye in his hand to include widel
horizon. But the monster which the
fish now sees differs from all these. il
has four great google eyes arranged
symmetrically around its head. Peer
ing through these plate-glass optics
the diver sees the curious, strange
beauty of the world around him, not as
the bather sees it, blurred and indis
tinct, but in the calm splendor of its
own thallassphere. The first thought
is one of unspeakable admin alton of the
miraculous beautyof everything arounC
him-a glory and splendor of refrac
tion, interference, and reflection that
puts to shame the Arabian story of the
kingdom of the Blue Fish. Above hin
is that pure golden canopy with its rare
glimmering lustrousness - something
like the soft, dewy effulgence thai
comes with sunbreaks through showery
afternoons. The soft delicacy of thai
pure, straw-yellow that prevails every
where is crossed and lighted by tint'
and glim;nering hues of accidental ant
supplementary color indescribably ele
giant. The floor of the sea rises like {
golden carpet in gentle incline to thu
surface but this incline, experience
soon teaches, is an ocular deception
the effect of refraction, such as tum
bier of water and spoon can exhibi
in petty. 1t is perhaps the first OBJ
servable warning that you are in new
medium, and that your familiar friend
the light, comes to you altered in it
nature and it is as well to remembe
this and "make note on it.
Raising your eyes to the horizonta
and looking straight forward, ney
and beautiful wealth of color is de
veloped. 1t is at first delicate blue
as if an accidental color of the prevail
ing yellow. But soon it deepens into
rich violet. You feel as if you ha(
never before appreciated the lovelines
of that rich tint. AS your eye dwell
upon it the rich lustrous violet darken
to indigo, and, sinking into deepe
hues, becomes a majestic threat o
color. It is ominous, vivid, blue-blacl
solid, adamantine, a crystal wall o
amethyst 1t is all around you. Yo1
are cased, duxgeoned in the soil,
masonry of the waters. 1t is beaut
indeed, but the sombre and awful beaut
of the night and storm. The eye turn
for relief and reinsurance to the paly
golden lustrous roof, and watches tina
tender penciling which brightens ever
object it touches. The hull of tn
sunken ship, lying slant and open t
the sun, has been long enough sui
merged to be crusted with barnacles
hydropores, crustacea, and the lahore
constructions of the microscopic el
istence and vegetation that fill tn
sea. The song of Ariel becomes vivi
and realistic in its rich word-power
"Full fathom five thy father lies;
OF his bones are coral made,
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nething of him that doth fade
But doth suffer sea-change
Into something rich and strange
The TRANSPORTATION of familiar ol
iects is indeed curious and wonderful
The hull, once gaudy with pam, mt, an
gliding, has come under the skill
the lapidary and sea-artist 1t is crus
ed with emerald and fossy moses, an
glimmers with diamond, jacinth, rub.
topaz, sapphire and gold. Every lewe
shape in leaf, spore, coral or plum