Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-04-17

the hose, and gave 1t force 10 cut INTO
the sand; and with that rude pump
we recovered over s6OO,ooO, making
S775 900 in all.
A little while after, gale came on
in the night which piled our lighter In
ruins high on the beach, and sunk the
engine in the sea, which so crippled
us that we had to leave for San Fran
cisco.
AS the working season was far spent.
we could not return until another win
ter. In the meantime / made as per-
feet preparations as possible, ana,
when the season arrived, / was early
on the ground with two vessels, one
small schooner having twenty-horse
power boiler in her hold, and steam
pump throwing 200 gallons of water
per minute.
AS l had control OF the expedition,
with everything needful. / procured 500
feet OF six-inch rubber hose and about
the same OF 21-2-inch hose. l had "a
variety Of nozzles made, some for b0r-
ing in the sand and some for working
ahead when down in the sand. also
fitted up q twelve-section Groves bat
tery for blasting purposes.
1 will here state that | went with
new parties the second time, not liz
ing the management OF the first par
ties in settling the salvage; conse-
auently there were two expeditions
the second trip. The old parties er-
rived at the wreck soon after did
with large and well fitted expedition,
with four old and experienced divers
in common kinds OF diving. Tncy,
however. met with trouble they little
expected.
1t was such perilous work that | had
to take my life in my hand and risk 1t
with "a perfect recklessness, and sup
pose the opposition that existed be-
tween those two expeditions was Is
bitter as 1t could be.
The old larties were sorely vcXed
because had left them, SO we expect
ed no help from them in case OF accident
or trouble OF any kind. Both partic
were armed with cannon, rifles, and
revolvers. Every man went TO his
work each morning armed.
The mode OF operating was this:
With over 245 pounds suspend ed
from my shoulders, made two dives
per day for sixty days, averaging from
/ one TO four hours each. Upon d!scOv-
ering a box OF gold, l never left 1t until
it was secured also fastened suall
kedce-auchor to the water hose, about
! forty feet from the nozzle. thus leaY-
ing only forty feet FOR me 10 handle.
! | usually made the first dive in the
morning. Johnson attending t. the
lifeline for signals, which consisted OF
a certain number Of short pulls for
different purposes, as might be agreed
upon.
After being rolled overheard and
slowly lowered to the bottom, | would
ascertain my locality by looking up
to see how the bottom OF the boat la
"a person under water can only see
what is in the water, and nothing out
OF III, and then stagger toward the
shore over the ridges OF land. When
hearing the breakers roller would
start me on the run for few steps,
and then | would be stopped short.
and would perhaps fall down; which
was a warning to creep the rest OF the
distance. On finding the nozzle o! the
water hose / would tie it to ne 50 that
it could not be jerked out OF arm 3
reach, otherwise l might be left buried
in the sand as it was once / Secame
fastened in the sand about seven feet
deep, and gave myself up as lost. II
happened in this way;
On reaching the locality OF the trea-
sure l would sit down, holding the
nozzle, pointing down, between my
legs, and signal for the steam pump 70
start the water. As soon rs hole was
cut under ME / would enter it feet
foremost. The water would drill u
hole about the size OF a barrel.
At this time descended to plate
OF boiler iron, and in turning the
stream OF water In front OF me TO work
my way of the boiler plate, became
fastened by the sand closing around
me from behind, which 1t did almost
instantly. Ny arms were buried as
far as the wrists, my hands being the
only part Of me not buried, as solid as
IL In a mold and metal run around me.
The nozzle had jumped out OF my
hands and was swinging at the end OF
the rope which was tied TO me. The
undertow carried it back over my
head the stream OF water Passing over
my head and pointing in shore.
was In an easy position, but being
packed 80 solid / could not make an
effort to clear myself or make signal
or receive one, expecting ever moment
that the escape OF air would be stop
ped, thus bursting the air-hose, which
would be the end OF all.
remained In that position over two
hours dt seemed ages), as l learned
on coming up, for when at work un-
der water a person has no idea Of time
whatever, and perhaps I would be
there now had not huge roller come
crashing in, Strengthening the water
hose, kedge anchor, and all in shore
before me, and pointing the stream ol
water directly against me, thus wash
Ing me out.
After that took the two and half
inch water hose and tied it to my back
the nozzle discharging near the calf o.
the leg. I Ialways called that my pet
and never again went without it. Il
kept the water coming up behind me
in such manner that the sand could
not settle, thus giving me the large
stream to work with.