The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-02
rHH AMBER KING.
Old Man Diemer, the Famous Diver-At the Bot
tom OF the Herths hake-Exploding Roman
%le Iaaand
[From the New York Mercury.l

tom OF the Hertha Lake-Exploding Roman
tic Legend.
From the New York Mercury.1
In narrow lodgings, on the corner of
Essex and Rivington streets, lives Err
nest Dlemer, considerably over seventy
years old, who, at one time, enjoyed a
great reputation in Prussia as success
iul diver and amber fisher. He is said
to have brought up more amber from the
bottom OF the Baltic than any other per-
son engaged in that perilous business.
One day, in 1S47, when at Stralsun, he
presented to King Frederick William ~
an enormous block Of amber, weighing
twenty-three pounds.
That monarch said to him, "Why, Die
mer, you are the Amber-king;" and re-
warded him with the lowest class OF the
Order of the Red Eagle. The surname,
"Amber-king," stuck to Diemer, and he
became famous. But as he grew older,
the life of an amber-diver became too
arduous for him, and he bought small
farm in Pomerania, which he sold out
several years ago, his children having
prevailed upon him to emigrats with
Them to America. The old man gave a
reporter Of the Mercury an account of bis
life. When he was twelve years old a
British vessel, the Artemis, toundered
total loss. Diemer and several other
boys dived for the wreck, and succeeded
in bringing ashore number OF valuable
articles and a chest containing seven
teen hundred thalers In gold.
Without an apparatus he performed
almost miracles as diver. The only
precaution he toek In going down to the
bottom Of the sea-, was TO put 91led cot
ton in his ears. When ne had no wrecks
10 dive Tor, he would search for cur1osi-
ties at the bottom OF tie Baitio, for
which he found ready sale. He dis
covered an immensely valuable AMBER
layer near Altenkerchen, RuSen, which
the Government claimed as Its own.
The disooverer did not GET any ything sx.
cept that he was employed at d nigaard-
ly salary as superintendent. This treat.
ment exasperated him 80 that he went to
Russia and offered bis services to the
Emperor Nicholas, who employed him
Tor five yeArs on the Neya. But the in
clement Russian winters did not agree
with Diemer, and SO he returned to
Rugen. There he became acquainted
with the Chevalier Bunsen, who EN-,
ployed Diemer to find out whether the
famous Hertha Lake, round which many
ancient Runio legends cluster, was un.
fathomable as had been believed.
1
ated In tie dense thickdt Of the Stabnitz
forest, and whose waters are as black
as ink, was no slight venture, consider
ing that the supefstitions people OF Ru.
gen were firmly convinced that the
touch of the water OF the lake was fatal.
Diemer, however, went In with will,
and took down with him pail fastened
to rope. He found that the water was
fifteen feet deep, and that the bottom
was soft and miry. He filled the pal
with mud from the bottom, and emerged
from the water almost sutfocated. Ii
the pail were found several fragments oil
stone tools ard weapons. Strangely
enough, Chevalier Bunsen did not folloW
up this discovery. This was done by the
celebrated Virchow in 1868, who found
that Calustrian village had formerly
been built over the Hertha Lake.
Diemer, however, succeeded in show
ing the groundlessness OF another an
cient legend. They say that in pre-
historic ages the capital OF Pomeranis
was large city named Vineta. and that
it was covered by the sea during q furi
Gus storm. 1t is said to have been situ
ated at the mouth OF the Oder, and wher
the sea is very clear it Is said some peo
The poets have frequently used this
legend, and sung that ON Sunday after
Moons the bells of the churches or tenn
pies may be heard by sensitive ears
family tolling in the depth. Dlemel
dived down on the spot whore Vineta il
said to have stood, and says that, so far
from being any ruins Of a city there, the
bottom of the sea is smooth and hard
Until 1S49 he did little but diving for
amber, of which he brought ih seventeen
years over forty thousand pounds to the
surface. He had never heard of Captain
Kid1s buried treasure, and his eyes
sparkled when he was told how valuable
it was believed to be.