, 1880-10-04
Terrible Experience.

While IN the harbOr OF Valparaiso,
aboard the sloop-of-war Virago, one of
our midshipmen touched me on the
shoulder ana informed me that Lieuten-
ant Bardolph wanted to see me.
II have heard that you was some
thing of a naturalist, Starbuck," said
the fhcer, smiling.
"f{o, sir" replied; '' no naturalist,
although L take interest in"
"Oh, we'll, never mind" quoth the
Lieutenant. "You have seen our diving
bell?
l answered "Yes," when the lieuten-
ant Informed me that he wanted me to
go down under the sea with our boat
swain. Randolph, formerly pearl
liver, TO look for curious fish which,
On the day previous, had been pierced
and killed with pike. In form, the
Ash resembled a serpent, was about
thirty inches in length, and had upon
both sides of its neck pair Of singu-
lar appendages, something like wings.
Its most striking peculiarity, however,
was one eye, of greenish color, stu
ated on the top of its head. On being
struck with the pike the creature had
rolled over, apparently dying, and then
dove out OF sight.
9 Think continued the lieutenant.
81 that such a curiosity is worth obtain
ing. and have picked you out to go
with Randolph, believing that you are
interested in natural history. Besides,
will pay you guinea il you will go.
My mouth watered; bottles OF dg@a,'
aiemte, and the black eyes of pretty Chill
ian damsels, danced before my mind.
I bowed ACC uiescence, and went away
70 make preparations.
The diviDgbell soon was on deck,
ready to be hoisted and swung over the
side. The instrument was little dam
aged, but neither Randolph nor antic-
ipated danger.
We were presently in our places,
singing out s. All right!" when the bell
began to descend.
Down, down, down-lower and low
er. We glanced round us on all sides,
but as set saw nothing of the strange
fish. Curious-looking specimens of the
inny tribe, however, greeted US in many
directions. We could see the sword
fish dart past with its long. protruding,
bone weapon; the globe-ish, the bal
loon-ish and the spiteful- looking shark,
swept through the green waters, almost
brushing our bell with tails and fins.
"How singular" calculated. "Like
vision of the delirium trenens, as I
have heard that disease described"
Don't talk of the delirium tremen-
dous, here!" growled Randolph, with a
dissatisfied air. "Grog is too scarce,
do you see, for that. Tauts is tauts
everywhere, but blow me if they don't
somehow seem to have dwindled
mighty small about Virago."
Now we hung suspended in mid-sea.
The air had become somewhat impure,
so we opened the stop-cock and let it
out, feeling, a moment after, a fresh
supply, sent down to us through the
India-rubber "pipe or hose secured
into the top Of the bell. Randolph was
about touching the signal-cord to init
mate our desire to be lowered still fur
ther, when We felt sudden jerk, felt
the bell going down faster than we had
anticipated, and to our horror, realized
that the rope by which the instrument
was suspended had parted from the
hook to which it was attached.
Away went the "pipe" at the same
moment, and we only saved ourselves
from instant destruction by stopping
up the aperture thus left in the top
with thick handkerchief. Otherwise,
the water beneath. no longer meeting
the resistance of the air, that element