Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-02-24
THE DIVERS STORY.

craze man outright 1 can tell Won.
SIR and the old diver leaned back in
ms chair, and fixed his eyes thought
fully on the roaring fire before which
We were seated-"I can tell You. sir. it's
often toss of a penny with us. when
we once get in among the timbers of an
old wreck, if we ever come to the sur-
face again
II remember a pretty tight fix got
INTO when We were diving into the
Conqueror, up the Sound, of the Con-
nectlcut shore. She was coming in from
the Mediterranean, after a three years
cruise with the 'middies,' and went
down In gale in sight of home, with
every soul on board. L was young then.
and anxious to be the first sent down
into her, for the sake of the reputation
1t would give me for reputation meant
money, and money! you see, was the
only reason Nettie and were deferrinp
our marriage. You can understand how
matters stood, and how glad was when
IN receipt of orders to make the first
dive into the old man-of-wa
"The sea was running pretty high a.
l was carried down in my heavy 'armor'
from the deck of the steamer to the
Hoat alongside, where the ropes by
which to haul me ur again were fastened
on; the india-rubber tube, through
which L was to be supplied with air,
was adjusted, and / stood listening to
my final instructions before being put
overheard.
Now, dear boy, said my old friend
and instructor, Lott, the famous deep
sea diver, who came forward to close
the little glass window in my helmet.
take good care of yourself, and don't
stay long below. The currents are swift
and treacherous abont here and keep
tangled. Now, then, good-by, old fel.
low, and good luck to you and with
pleasant smile lac closed the glass door
before my eyes, and fastened over il
the protecting wire netting.
"They bore me up in their arms to
| the side of the float. where the hungry
waves were leaping up, as though
greedily opening their foaming frothy
jaws to receive me.
81 dropped into the waves with
splash, sinking swiftly down through
the brilliant sunlit waters, which, though
rough and boisterous at their surface,
suddenly grew calm as passed below.
1 glanced up at the sun, which appeared
as great bail of fire, but, growing
smaller and smaller as sank lower, it
finally seemed like the tiny red spark
of candle, and then faded from sight.
noticed that the waters were Int by a
pale greenish haze, much like the effect
of moonlight in a light, drifting fog
but these observations were cut short
by my realizing that was near bottom,
and looking below, found myself over
bank of tall thick sea-weed.
"Knowing that if 1 were once en-
tangled in them, they would hold me
there for ever, pulled the signal-rope
violently, and my descent was checked
| Just as my feet touched the treacher-
ous grasses. The tide bore me slowly
along and passed them turning me
around again and again in the eddies,
and making my head giddy that was
heartily glad when 1 cleared the bank
and stood at last upon the bright sandy
bottom. The shells and gravel on the
bed of the waters we're most delicate
and beautiful in formation, and ex-
quisite in design, but so tender that
even shells crumbled at my touch.
81 hurried on with the current until
saw before me what 1 judged to be
the great wooden walls of the Con-
dueror, but on nearing it found it to
be reef of rocks, fancifully honey
combed from end to end, and In and
out among the little arched halls of
these fern-covered chambers the fish
were chasing each other playfully or
hanging idly in the waters.
"Passing around these rocks, came
upon a mass of tangled rigging, and
few steps further brought me to the
man-of-war half buried where she lay,
in the drifting sand. her spars and top
masts crushed and splintered upon her
decks; her sails and rigging hanging
over the side and resting upon the
broken bulwarks.
"Great caution was necessary lest 1
should become entangled among the
ropes or caught under the shifting
timbers, and making my way slowly to
the companionway, l sent up the signal ::
"'3-'-'23-.' Ct am about to
enter the vessel-T shall be in danger
Play out rope freely and give me
plenty of air.
81 made my way to the lower deck.
and found myself in the forward cabin.
1t was very dark, and l groped about
for the doorway, knowing that once In
the main saloon, the deck-lights would
enable me to see more distinctly.
"Clearing the rubbish and drifting
sand from about the doorway, burst
it open, and was about to enter when
naused. to summon courage before
entering. A moment, and my nervous
ness was over; l put my shoulder TO
the door, showed it back against the
waters, and resolutely entered. An aw-
full silence was upon everything-a
silence as of death. l was alone, at the
bottom of the sea, in the saloon of the
| Conouerer. and close about me were
postured, like grim sentinels set to
watch me in my work, the officers and
crew of two hundred
"Yes, there were the ill-fated men, as
they stood when death overlook them
on that awful night, when they were
hurried from their berths on the alarm
that they we're sinking. Before they
could reach the stairway, the mighty
water had rushed in upon them, and
they died where it had met them, at
the threshold.
1.-The eddying waters carried them
here and there through the cabin, but
still. so close were they one to another,
that had to part them now and then
to reach the after cabin, and more than
one turned, as 1 slowly passed along,
and followed in the wake l made behind
me. Their faces were often close against
NV helmet, and it Mortified me to notice
that they all wore still upon their
features the impression of the terror
that had come upon them in death.
"You mustn't think me heartless II L
saw went at once to my work, Tor we
divers constantly go through such
scenes and knew well enough, before
I went down, that they were awaiting