Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-05-22
LIFE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

While on q visit 10 Herne Bay in
1871, Mr.. Frank Buckland had an in
terview with w. Wood, a retired diver,
who told some curious stories OF un-
der water life. Mr.. Wood made his
first real start in life by an extraordi-
nary, and, as it turned out, very
lucky, piece OF diving. III the reader
will look at the map OF Ireland, he
will see that outside Belfast Lough,
and a little to the southwest oppo-
site Donaghadee, are situated the
Copeland Islands. 1t so happened
that Whitstable man was u coast
guardsman in this district. He heard
a legend that n ship laden with q
heavy cargo OF silver had been wreck
ell off the Copeland Islands some half
q century ago. He therefore COM
municated with some OF his friends at
Whitstable who were divers. Accord
ingly. Mr.. Wood and four others put
their diving dresses on board q
vessel, and sailed from Whitstable to
Donaghadee 1t appears that the
people on board the ship had tried 10
escape. having first filled their shirt
sleeves with dollars: but in getting up
the rocks many Of them had fallen
back and met with an untimely end,
as the weight of the dollars had kept
their heads under water. No one had
ever disturbed the wreck since the
vessel went down, so Mr.. Wood and
his friends set 20 work TO find out
where she was. They put on their
diving dress, and for two or three
days walked about TO and fro az the
bottom Of the sea, in about forty feet
OF water. searching for the treasure.
This they did by clearing away the
weeds and turning over the stones
with crowbars and feeling for the dol
lars with their hands, as the water
was too thick 10 see. The wood part
OF the wreck itself had entirely per-
ished through lapse OF time and the
ravages OF sea worms. After a long
and careful search at last they came
upon the dollars; they were mostly
spread about among the stones, but
many had slipped down among a
heap Of iron ore which had formed
the ballast Of the ship. Many Of the
dollars were worn thin by the action
OF the water. When hunting among
the wreck. for the dollars Mr.. Wood
had some curious under water adven-
lures. One of the divers complained
that he was annoyed by a lobster and
could't work. Mr.. Wood learned the
whereabouts OF the lobster and went
down after him. He soon discovered
Mr.. Lobster sitting under a rock,
looking as savage as lobster can
look. His feelers were pointed well
forward, and he held out his two great
claws wide open in a threatening atti-
tude. Wood, knowing the habits or
Holsters, offered this fellow his crow
bar, which he Immediately Dipped
with his claws. Then, watching his
opportunity, he passed his signal line
over the Holsters tail and made it fast,
and signalled TO the men aboye TO
"haul away" This they did, and in
stantly away went Mr. Lobster flying
through the water into the air above
with his claws still expanded, and as
scared as q lODSLcT cOulu Dc. y SledI
conger eel also paid the divers visit.
He was an immense fellow, and kept
swimming around Wood. but would
not come near him. Wood was afraid
OF his hand being bitten, as conger's
bite is very bad. He once knew a
diver whose finger was seized by u
congcr. The brute took all the flesh
clean off the mans finger. 4 conger
is very dangerous animal to man
when diving in the water However,
this conger kept swimming round
about Wood, so he took his clasped-
knife out and tried to stab him; but
the conger would not come near
enough 10 be KNITTED" " 1t was d
long while before the conger would go
away; and even after he had gone
away Wood could not so on working,
because he was not sure the brute was
really gone for good, and he might
have come out Of some corner ut any
minute and nipped his fingers. Chans-
| ber'S Journal.