The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-10-20
LIFE BENEATH THE WAVES.

Soon afterward | worked down into the
Gulf of Mexico. The first coral raised was
in Catoche. Knocking round about there /
heard of the loss of the schooner Foam. The
first mate and three men got saved, but the
captain, his daughter and three men got lost
slung round to see il she could be raised
After we'd spent the best part of the week,
we sailed over her and dropped anchor 1t
was lovely Sunday morning when we struck
her. She lay in sixty feet of water, ON bot
tom as white as the moon. Looking down l
could see her leaning over on one side upon
the coral reef. When got down to her,
saw she had torn great gap in the reef when
she ran against it. The mainmast was gone,
and hung by the fore l clambered mp | saw
whole shoals of fish playing in and out of the
matches. First went to look for the bodies,
for never like to work while there's any of
them about. Finding the forecastle empty,
| went to the two little state cabins. 1t was
rather dark, and / had to feel in the lower
hunks. There was nothing in the first, and
to the other the door was locked l pried it
open, and shot back the lock with my adz 1t
flew open, and out something fell right against
me. | felt at once it was the woman's body.
/ was not exactly frightened, but it shook me
rather. l slung 1t from me, and went out in
to the light bit until had got hold of my
self. Then turned and brought her out
poor thing She'd been very pretty, and as
/ carried her in my arms with her white face
nesting against my shoulder, she seemed as
if she was only sleeping. made her fast to
the line as carefully as l could, to send her
up and the fish played about as if they were
sorry she was going. At last gave the sig-
nal, and she went slowly up, her hair floating
round her head like a pillow of golden sea-
weed. That was the only body found there,
and managed after to raise considerable Of
the cargo.
One of my expeditions was among the sill
yer banks of the Antilles, the loveliest place
ever saw, where the white coral grows into
curious tree-lks shapes. As stepped ai,ng
the bottom, it seemed as if were in FROST
ed forest. Here and there trailing long fronds
of green and crimson seaweed. Silver-belied
fish flashed about among the deep brown and
purple sea ferns, which rose high as my head
Far as / could see all round in the transparent
water were different colored leaves, and on
the floor piles of shells SO bright in color that
it seemed as il | had stumbled on place
where they kept q stock of broken rainbows.
| could not work for bit, and had a quarter
determination to sit down u while and wait
Cor mermaid guess if those sea girls live
anywhere they select that spot. After walk
ing the inside out of half an hour | thought
l had better go to work and blast for treasure.
little bit on from where sat were the re-
mains of treasure ship. 1t was Britisher,
think, and corals had formed all about what
was left of her. The coral ON the bottom and
round her showed black spots. That meant
deposit Of either iron or silver. ] made
fairly good hauls every time went down. and
sold one piece / found to Barnum, of New
York
After left there had curious adventure
with shark l was down on nasty rock
bottom. A man never feels comfortable on
them he can't tell what big creature may be
hiding Under the huge quarter deck sea leaves
which grow there. The first part of the time
was visited by porcupine fish, which kept
sticking its quilts up and bobbing in front of
my helmet Soon after / saw big shadow
fall across me, and looking up there was an
Internal shark playing about my tubing. 1t
makes you feel chilly in the back when they're
about. lie came down to me slick as | look
ed up. made at him, and he sheared of. 49,
For an hour he worked at it, till could stand
it no longer. If you can keep your head level,
it's all right, and you're pretty safe If they'r
not on you sharp. This ugly brute was TWEEN
ty feet long, should think, for when l lay
down all my length on the bottom, he stretch
cd considerable way ahead of me, and l
could see him beyond my feet Then wait
ed. They must turn over to bite, and my ly-
ing down bothered him. He swan over me
three or four times, and then skulked off to a
big thickct of sca-weed to consider. / knew
he'd come back when he settled his mind. 1t
seemed a long time waiting for him. At last
he came viciously over me, but, like the time
before, too far from my arms The next time
had my chance, and ripped him with my
knife as neatly as he could. A shark always
remembers he's got business somewhere else
when he's cut, SO off this fellow goes II is a
curious thing, too that all tho sharks about
will follow in the trail he leaves. got ON my
hands and knees, and rs he swan off motto
ed four shadows slip after him. saw no more
that time. They did not like my company
Captain Boynton, in tile 0entsemen's Maya
zine.
>-aos->
DIR. Holland says The simple truth il
that the jury system is outlved and ought tc
be outlawed. 1t does not help the cause Of
L. Il