The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-28
A-s-hconer containing divers and di,ins apparatus
u D l. nunN. az cnrner.. N-sluMmnr Ron.

As-nooner containing diver. and aiyins apparatus.
Il IS tuoNs at corners t-S'cHmcr kch,i
The object Of this arrangement is to secure
perfect etrsdinoss. and prevent the schooner
from dragging. while the divers are down The
schooner Is placed directly over tho wreck 50
thut tho descent 10 tho latter may b. made per
A. high noon officers md crew sa, down
E.licii' The weather cath was was dcliebtial. "a a
iine hreeze from uccanwarl tanning the
heated hrOws OF the workers. and in
yieoratinl them Tor fresh attacks on tho tnlie.
when literally contained the best the market
afforded. Mrcckcrs like pilots. are epeurcs in
ter than three fourihs II the well -to-do house,
holders Of New York. A baron # roast beef -
ornnmcnt"d the head Of the table. and a round
81 compact and finely cut cold corn beef the
foot Hall a,dozen kinds " vegetables excel
culcnt tenderness could not be cxcolled 10y any
thing in the. Aston House larder. and the mag
III for n king. During the meal the Divers
laughed. ehAited. and t9ld stories 4 plungiugs
iis sos , n" M,,IM,fspEi the Gu' Of Mexico and
b.. y, O'Clock everything was ready 'Qr work
The sea was little high than agreeable. and
manner which rendered the decent more q NJ
cult than It would otherwise have been. Charles
tooiHn. u eood-looking athlete young fell W,
with shoulders broader than q loatys and
limits as hard and muscular as prlzc lighter
Was the first tp 20 down.
u extra undertaking q keen of the cold.
The average temperatur" 10 100 fe"' ~ water =
i0'. Then he drew on AN uir-tiEht suit 81 wi t."
ludih rubber terminating about me shoulders
in heavy IRON breastpate. When safely M
cas"d in This. ponderuu- iron helmet weigh,
ing so 10 40 pounds was brought out and
screwed on to the hreHstplate, until the whole
formed a perfectly water-tight covering from
head TO foot. There were three openings. or little
windows in the helmet. "ac h of the area of -"y-
oral square inches. and each carefully guarded
hy narrow iron bars Particular attention is
10 fNft4f llfsl tlf he trI.l
hess Of the bars for on these depend the
divers fate Tho face glass is circular. and is
screwed on last ~ all. lust MS the man steps
over the side. Hqncelorth no Is shut ~ in a
living tomb. which at any moment may become
From thciup e the hclmot issues n rubber
pipe about IN" SIN of garden hose. only several
times thicker and stouter Through this the
mir is forced by means of an air pump worked
10y hand. Tho valves Of the pump are sur
rounded 10y ice in order 10 keep the air pure
aud cool 80 that wrecking expeditions are often
forced To- Tut back into port ior larA ~ lee. In
sid" the helmet the noise 81 IN" incoming air
sounded remarkably Ike all lmmonse hu2zsHw.
Coolhn put on pair Oi shO"H- the most re-
mnrkable part II his equipment, II would
COMPOSED entirely Of lead about two inches
thick and weighs from ten to lite"n POUNDS.
This heavy weight 10 rendered necessary 10
'unt"rhAlane" the ponderous helmet and
breasiplatc which would otherwise prove too
much for the bearer. The weight Of the entire
suit is over 100 pounds. and yct with the IN
creased pressure Of the watlr on all sides it is
All being ready. Coolan mods 10 his assistants
This face glass has been screwed, and he can
only communicate with those outside ly sigus
and begins 10 descend. The air Il whizZng
into the back Of his iron head -ptrre AT Il ire
m"ndOuS rate, as he iumhcrs heavily over tho
side and lots himself down int IN" water Both
hands clutch tightly the lifeline. down Wil'h
he desccLlS. while two mon stand over him.
one holding the line and another pay ng out
the air pipe. These are cal ed tender,
tJ
and look out generally after the welfare OF th"
man On the bottom. ON thoir promptness and
efficiency the divers safety and often hia III"
depends. green or careless tender Is worse
feared than small school Of sharks,
For thirty five feet or more Cuolans course Is
unoAstru ted Then he @trikes the malntop-
mast If the sunken vessel Down this he
graws carefully q thg dtn a, tTIight A., n>@idng
mnsts. The scene II ghostly enough for one Of
Victor ,HugQs novels. Tie brlgan,ine lies on
her side imbcddod in tho firm. hard sand with
her masts and yards raking at an ANGLE Of say 80
degrees from the perpendicular. From tho
slantod yards hang the tattored remains Of sails
and rigging. streaming idly downward in tho
quiet water, like moss trailing from limbs OF
doad wood. Down upon the silent deck. among
the pilot fish and sea bass. the diver holds his
way. The fish Turk about the DIES, rted decks in
schools. ana require blows ana strokes WIN the
divers knife to driye them ls away. me ia hl
sharp MS razor. is carried slung IN q leather
sheath at the side. A big. striped Ash known as
tho hinge collect about the hatchway in thick
school. Coolan draws his knife, slices one Of
them in two, while the rest scatter.
All ~ black darkness in the hold Of the sunken
vessel, and many minutes pass before every
thing 10 ready for hosting The hides. which
constituted a large portion OF the cargo. are
packed over and above the wool, md these have
10 be dragged on before the moro valuable com
modify can be reached, At length big, dirty,
white bale. strapped with iron, and weighing
out OF water some 500 pounds. Is dsengagcd
from the debris and dragged TO the open hatch.
Into tho mouth Of the latter, aud lust visible in
the dark. gray light danglos the end OF n rope
tackle. which is seized and made fast to the
bale. A certain number Of Jerks on the rope
signify Hoist away" and slow y and quietly
the big bale rises toward the surface.
From two TO three hours is the usunl period
Of diver's work. Tho fatiguing employment,
the labor Of carrying about the immense weight
Ot the suit, and the constant pressure from all
sides are terribly exhausting None but men
OF the strongest constitutions succeed Al the
business, and even then 1t is thought to lessen
their lives. In the present case two or three
bales in the morning and rs many in tho after
noon are considered a fair days work.
The noxt spell =" under water il taken by
RUFUS Peterson, Coolsn's mate. He is thinner
and many pounds lighter than the other. and at
nrst Sigh, would appear hardly capable Of bear
ing up tho immense weight which IL laid upon
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