The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-27
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.

While in the harbor of Valparaiso,
aboard the sloopof-war Virago, one of
our midshipmen touched me on the
shoulder and informed me that Lieuten-
ant Bardolph wanted To see me.
II have heard that you are something
of naturalist, Starbuck," said the Off
Ger smiling.
mo sir" / replied; mo naturalist,
although I take interest in"
ooh, well never mind," quoth the
Lieutenant. "You have seen our diving
bell? II a
| answered eyes when the Lieutenant
informed me that he wanted me to go
down under the sea with our boatswain,
Randolph, formerly pearl diver, to look
for curious fish which, on the day pre-
vious had been pierced and killed with a
pike. In form the fish resembled SER
pent was about thirty inches in length,
] and mad upon both sides of its neck a
I pair of singular appendages, something
like wings. Its most striking popularity,
however, was one eye, of greenish color,
situated on the top of its head. On being
struck with the pike the creature had
rolled over, apparently dying, and then
dove ont of sight. f[
ri think" continued the Lieutenant,
"that such curiosity is worth obtaining,
and / have picked you out to 60 with
Randolph, believing that you are inter-
Il ested in natural history. Besides, l will
h pay you guinea if you will CO."
Ny mouth watered; bottles of aguar-
diente, and the black eyes of pretty Chi
'laan damsels, danced before my mind.
] bowed acquiesence, and went away to
NIKE preparations.
The dIving-bell was soon on deck,
ready to be hoisted and swung over the
side. The instrument was little dam
aged, but neither Randolph nor / antici-
pated danger.
We were presently in our places, sing
Ing out "All rightp' when the bell began
to descend.
Down, down, down-lower and lower.
We glanced round us on all sides, but as
yet saw nothing Of the strange fish.
Curious looking specimens of the finny
tribe, however, greeted us in many direc-
tions. We could see the sword-fish dart
past, with its long, protruding, bone.
weapon; the globe-fish, the sun-fish, the
moorish. the balloon fish, and the spite
full looking shark, swept through the
green waters, almost brushing our bell
with tails and fms.
"How singular!' I calculated. "Like
vision of the delirium tremens, as
have heard that disease described"
stDont talk of the deIirium tremendous
herev' growled Randolph, with dissa-
tisfied 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 the
Virsgo."
Now we hung suspended in mid-sea
The air had become somewhat impure
30 we opened the stop-cock and let it out
feeling, moment after, fresh supply
sent down to us through the India-rubbel
"pipe" or hose secured into the top Of
the bell. Randolph was about touching
the signal cord to intimate our desire tc
be lowered still further, when we fell
va sudden jerk, felt the bell going dowr
faster than we had anticipated, and tt
our horror, realized that the rope b.
which the instrument was suspended haC
parted from the hook to which it wa
attached. #
Away went the "pipe" at the SAM
moment, and we only saved 'ourselve
from instant destruction by stopping VI
the aperture thus left in the top with
thick handkerchief. Otherwise, the wate
beneath, no longer meeting the resistance
of the air, that element escaping, mus
have filled the bell in brief space.
We heard the water roaring and gurg
fling round us as we descended; our de
scent, however, became each instan
slower, until finally the resistance of tn
confined air in the bell kept US suspended
about two feet above the bottom Of tn
sea
The air of our floating prison had b!
this time become almost u9bearable, no
( only from Its being SO densely compressed
but also from long confinement.
Terror-stricken, we glanced at eacl
other. The eyes Of Randolph, protrudin
from his head, looked blood-shot am
tinged with strange green color, Will
his dusky skin seemed to shrink lik
shriveled parchment. The most startlin
change in his appearance was the suddel
apparently superannuated look of hi
visage. A man of fifty, he seemed a
least thirty years older.
Presently his teeth began to rattle ii
his head, his form was bent almos
double, he threw his arms round him il
agony as if clutching at something.
How horribly useless this pantomim
seemed to me! He wanted fresh air-t
clutch at air! What mockery!
"Starbuck," he presently gasped. II
Lwouldn't know you. You look to b
Fifty! You and are a-dyin'. God hav
I mercy on usl What shall we do3
= could only stare at him, stupid with dis
pair.
The air in the bell become more an
more sitting. The boatswain flew to m
! side, and squeezed me in mad agon,
until my bones felt as if they woul
crack.
II "Air! a;rl sir!" he shrieked in n,
ear