Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-11-09
Thrilling Experience Of 3 Female Diver.

pleasant faced, dark-garbed, sun-hrownetl
lady. who in her unassuming personally re-
presents the only female rival of Boynton
Sidney Cook, Dean and other famous pre-
fessioIlal divers Of the century.
''Will detail my experiences for publ
cation?" she said. with pleasure. was
Originally stewardess on the L. and w. /.
steamer California, of which my husband
was head waiter We left tie steamer and
established ourselves in business in Pana-
ma in 1871, but failed and went to Mexico,
| where my husband was employed as q di-
yer by the Santa Barbara Pearl Fishing
Company, operating in the Gulf of Cali
fornia., I have always been fond of the
water. from beng s., mnch at sea, I sup
| pose, and when we were. established at the
headquarters of the fishery, ON the island
Of Santa Barbara, where acted for time
as cook for the party, / frequently ac-
companied the divers to the scene of their
operations. From watching them so often
1 became quite familiar with the divers
work, and one day the idea struck me that
I would like to go down. MY husband fl
nally consented to the experiment in shall
low water, that is, where the depth was
not more than fifteen feet. The experience
of my fl rst descent was not very encourag.
ing. came up bleeding as nostrils, mouth
and ears, and tainted upon reaching the
surface. However, persevered, tried it
again and again, and at length became so
hardened to the work that I could remain
down as long as any of the men. In 1874
my husband was suffocated in his armor
by the bursting of the air-supply tube, and
frC m that time until the end of the season
took his place at the fishery. 1t may seem
strange to you that should tempt the very
death had seen my husband succumb to,
but only tell you what every other diver
will, that the fascination Of my dangerous
trade overcomes every consideration of
peril have seen men brought up Sc bad
ly injured that they lay for months in
agony; yet during all that time were con-
stantly looking forward to the time when
they could once more brave the fate they
had SO narrowly escaped"
Ibid you find your sex a hindrance to
your success as diver?'' asked the report
er. ''That is to say, not physically, but
morally" Gwen the people at the pearl
fisheries, although they knew me and my
ability to do the work. hesitated to employ
me, and found it absolutely impossible to
obtain work on the lower coast until Capt.
Hartley, the chief diver Of Douglas & Co.,
who had seen me at work in the Gulf, gave
me a chance to work On the schooner Ga
volta. That was early last February.
The schooner was sunk on sandbank
eighteen miles from shore, in water seven
ty-fve feet deep, and whenever any wind
was blowing toe sea became very heavy I
was heartily sick Of the job the first time
went down, but the men had sneered at
me SO at the start that l would not give
up. | never get to like that experience
anyway, and was glad when the last cask
of dollars of her cargo came up and work
was declared at All end.''
''Did you meet with any peculiar or
dangerous experience during the continu- !
ance of this work." asked the reporter,
1.-The first and one which nearly cost all
our lives, was an attack by the Mexicans
The Gaviota had been sunk with load of
Silver At the time of the disas-
ter to the Gaviota the Mexican authorities
were unusually vigilant, and it was very
difficult to rum a cargo of silver. After
the Gaviota was sunk the owners sent
Captain Hartly, with several divers, of
whom was one, to attempt to recover the |
cargo under the protection of an armed |
steamer. The MeXicans made several eff
forts to drive the Americans off. One of |
these attacks resulted in a savage fight,
and we had to abandon work, and run out
to sea for several days. From that time
forth we had to be constantly on the alert, |
but we were not further moested. When |
the attack was made [ was down at the |
bottom trying to make fast to cask of |
dollars that was partially sunk in the sand. |
We were diving from the port side of the
steamer, and the first l knew of the dis
turbance was the sudden stoppage of the |
air supply, occasioned, as l afterwards |
found out, BY tie man in charge Of the |
air pump having to desert his post to de-
fend himself, 1t came all of sudden,
like Il flash. felt a frightful sense of op-
preston at the chest. and thunderous |
rumbling at the ears, while q hot shiver.
as it [ had oeen suddenly exposed to the |
heat OF blast furnace, ran through me. |
Fortunately the man at the signal line was |
still On duty, and he answered my call for |
help by dragging me to the surface. was
nearly dead. My face was black and stain |
ed with the blood which had started even |
from the sockets Of my eyes. 1t took an |
hour to revive me, and for two days |
was unfit for duty. If had been under
water two minutes more / would not be |
here to tell Of my adventure We had to
blow up the deck Of the schooner twice,
in order to get at the cargo. The second |!
time q sad accident occurred. A Mexican
diver named Pablo Vasquez went down to
put the torpedo in position. The man in |
Charge OF the battery was nervous, and {
must haye pressed the lever involuntarily.
At any rate he exploded the charge before
Pablo had risen to the surface, and the |
shock killed im-although he did rot
have Il scratch on him. Pablo was a first
rate diver. One day remember he got up !
$4,000, the heaviest raise made by any one |
man during the work.
do you intend to follow your perilous
calling in this part of the world?" asked
the reporter,
"Nomore Of it for me,'' said Mrs. Con-
sldlne, shaking her head gravely.
A % TIL f f PRAYER MIRACLE.wFor |