The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-02

The tube, also, was lying down still in
nay passage-way through the machine
rooms. ! did not know this until | had
exhausted my strength, and almost my
hope in vain efforts to loosen the weight,
and still the horror of the scene in the
cabin rested upon me.
Where was Parker7 The thought
flashed across me. He was not here. He
had returned. Two weights lay near,
which seemed thrown off in terrible
haste. Yes, Parker had gone. / looked
up; there lay the schooner tossing and
rolling among the waves.
| went down into the machine-room, to
60 back, 50 as to clear my tube. l had
gone through the passages carelessly, and
It had got entangled with something in
my hurry to reach the deck. went
back in haste to extricate myself
could stay here no longer; for if all the
geli of Golconda had been in the vessel,
IwouId not stay in company with the
dreadful dead!
Back-fear lent wings to my feet l
hurried down the ladder into the ma
chine-room once more; aud retraced my
steps through the passages below. |
walked back to the place into which |
had first descended. 1t was dark; a new
feeling of horror shot through me; |
looked up. The aperture was closed!
HeavenS was it closed by mortal hand?
Had Parker in his panic fight, blindly
thrown down the hatch, which now re-
membered to have seen open when | de-
scended? or had some fearful being
from the cabin-that demon who sprung
toward me?
| started back in terror.
But could not wait here; I must go;
l must escape from this den of horrors.
ran up the ladder and tried to raise
the door. 1t resisted my efforts; l put
| my helmeted head against it, but to nc
purpose; the rung of the ladder broke
beneath me, but the door was not raised
my tube came down through it, and kept
it partly open, for it was a strong tube
and kept expanded by close-wound wire
| seized bar of iron and tried to pry il
up; raised it slightly, but there was nc
way to get it up further. l looked
around and found some blocks; with the
, bar, lifted the heavy door, little by lit
tie, placing block in, to keep what
had gained. But the work was slow ant
; laborious, and had worked a long time
before I had lifted it four inches.
The sea rolled more and more. Th'
: submerged vessel felt its power ant
rocked. Suddenly it keeled over, ant
lay upon its side.
/ ran round to get on the deck above
to try and lift up the door But when
came to the other outlet, l knew it wa
impossible, for the tube would not per
init me to go so far, and then l woult
, rather have died thousand deaths thai
, have ventured again so near the cabin
, | returned to the fallen hatch; ! sa
down despair. and waited for death
5 SAW no hope for escape. This, then
was to be my end!
But the steamer gave sudden lurch
again acted upon by the power of tn
S waves. She had been balanced upon
e rock in such way that slight action o
). the water was sufficient to tip her over.
: She creaked, and groaned, and labored
and then turned upon her side.
I rose, clupg to the ladder; I presse
r the trap-door ope9, while the steamer la.
| with her deck perpendicular to tn
, ground. | sprang out and touched tn
, bottom of the sea. 1t was in good tim
@ for moment after the mast went owe
t back again.
= Tnen, with last effort, I twisted tn
\ iron fastening of the weight which KEEP
/ me down; l jerked it. 1t was loosed,
$ broke, it fell. In moment | began t
}, ascend, and in few moments l ws
/ floating on the water--for the air whic
f is passed down for the divers CONSUME
i! ton constitutes a buoyant mass, whic
J, raises him up from the sea.
e Thanks to Heaven! There was tn
strong boat with my bold, brave mel
), They felt me rising; they saw me an
e came and saved me.
= Parker had fed from the horrid seen
IS when | entered the cabin. but RENAME
l. in the boat to lend his aid. He new
n vent down again, but became sea ca
s. tain. As for me, l still 60 down, bl
h only to vessels whose crews ha'
Il been saved. 1t is needless to say that tt
d Marmion was never again visited.