The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-02-11

4
deep. and gave myself up as Lost. It hap
/ pened in this way: --ss-z.-s
On reaching the locality Of the trea-
sure / would sit down, holding the noz-
zle, pointing down. between my legs, and
signal for the steam. pump to start the
water As soon as a hols was cut under
me would enter il feet foremost The
water would driIl 9 hole about the size
of barrel. Z
At this time descended TO plate OF
boiler iron, and in turning the stream of
water in front of me 20 work my way of
the boiler plate, I became fastened by
the sand closing aronnd uIefF0m behind,
which it did almostinstanily. MyArms
were buried as far as the wrists. my
hands being the only part of me not
buried, as solid as ifin a mold and met
al run around me. The nozzle had jump
ed out of my hands and wsa swinging at
the end of the rope which was tied to
me. The undertow carried it'baek over
! my head. the stream Of waier passing
over my head, and pointing in shore.
was in an easy position, but being pack
ed SO solid could NOT make an effort to
clear myself or make signal or receive
one. expecting ever maaaent that the es-
cape ofair would be stopped, thus burst
ing the air-hose, which would be the
end of all.
remained in that position over two
hours lit seemed agesl. as I learned on
coming up, for when at work under wa
ter person has no idea, of time what
eyer, and perhaps | would be there now
had not q huge roller come crashing in,
Strengthening the water hose, kedge
anchor, and all in shore before me, and
pointing the stream of water directly
against me, thus washing me out.
After that took the two and half
inch water hose and tied il to my back,
the nozzle discharging near the calf of
the leg. l always called that my pet,
and never again went without it. It
kept the water coming up behind me in
such a manner that the sand could not
settle, thus giving me the large stream to
work with.
In making examinations with the
feet, if anything was found containing
square corners, a large steel hook, which
I carried tied to my dress, was forced
down beside it. Tit should prove to be
a box of gold, ! would come to the sur
face of the sand and signal for a set of
long steel spring hooks, which / had in
vented for the purpose, to be sent to me.
| Then the surf boat would be sent in as
near me as possible, and the hooks would
be thrown toward me until felt them
strike my helmet. Then ] IFwouldr de-
scend again, with the hooks in one hand
and the other manipulating the hose to
cut my way down to the box. After
finding it and springing the hooks down
on it, would signal to the surf boat to
pull on the hook line. Then by draw
ing up the nozzle gradually, letting the
sand settle under the box as fast as the
boat lifted, 1t was brought TO within two
or three feet of the surface of the sand
without great trouble.
But just there would come the tug Of
war. The boat could not lift it out of
the hole because it lay too far of. ]
would be about knee deep in the sand
just where the breakers would break ov-
er me. One would hurl me down head
to shore. and perhaps jerk the water hose
ont Of my hands. Then the sand would
close around my legs instantly more
| firmly than a wise.
At last, after from one or two hours
| work Of that kind, the box would be
landed, and a signal sent to stop the
steam pump. After making an examin-
alton to see that all was right, would
signal for the surf boat to haul up, and
the box would disappear in the direction
of the boat, with God-speed and hearty
good-by from me.
Sometimes Mexican divers would come
down and hold on to my dress, two or
three at a time, and try to take the bars
from me. / would simply hold on until
they would have to leave 10 get air. But
when one let go another was there to take
hla place. / finally became enraged and
punched one of them with the nozzle,
making a round, circular wound on his
ribs. He gave me q violent kick as he
left me, and was soon hauled up.
/
After this all work had to stop, as the
Mexicans threatened to stab any diver
who went under water belonging to our
expedition. We remained idle a few
days, but getting unhappy over such a
state of affairs, I proposed working by
night. johnson would not consent. /,
however. persuaded a portion of the
crew to volunteer trial of one night; 40
we went to work thus in the dark, con.
6dent of success, and recovered two
boxes the first dive. came up some
what exhausted and went on board the
small vessel, took q lunch, and rested n
couple Of hours. Then made another
dive and recovered one more box, which
proved night work great success, and
ever afterward anything was possible to
the crew that would undertake.
We worked eight or ten nights, or un-
til the Mexicans left. and then resumed
work by day. ...- .s
One night when came up the men
told me huge devil fish had come
along and was settling down upon me,
when an oar was thrown, striking him
on the back, causing him TO leave.
felt thankful to that oar, for nothing
could have saved me from being sliced
up had he once got his arms around
me.
recovered Capt. Hudson's dumb
bells, and afterward presented them to
him. and also some mutilated Oregon
State bonds, some Photographic, and an
elegant ivory card case, which / have