Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-11
TALK WITH A DIVER.
Singular Experiences in Dangerous
Life.
London Telegraph.

London Telegraph
Can you see under Water?" "Very
seldom. remember years ago going
down to have a look at the wreck of
the FOrfarshire-the vessel Grace Dar-
ling and her father pulled to, not from
wlndward of the island, as the story
says, but from the lee side, where the
cable lay ready, and where the water
was smooth. [ dived just out of curi-
oslty, and saw the old hooker plain
enough. Off that same coast I've
been down In water so bright that I've
stood among weeds as tall as this room,
beautiful garden Of them, and watch
ed 'em with delight, almost forget
ting the job was dow there for, and
and saw all kinds of fish swimming
about and appearing quite close
through the glass in my helmet,
though if put out my hand to them
L found them to be fathoms away
"But as rule you can't see9" mo
more than if I was looking through
London fog. And then take ship.
Suppose you were to come into this
room at night without, light-you
couldn't see. So it is with ships
hold and cabin under water. It's pitch
dark. A man can only grope." ''It
must be dangerous work moving about
among cargo under such circumstan-
ces." "Why, not when you're used
to it. A bit of sea on above is often
lnconvenlent, by making the vessel
on the surface roll and tauten the
tackle for heaving up the cargo, and
SO running up a mass of dead weight
on sudden before you're ready, and
then letting it come down crash again.
A ground SWELL mean the swell at
bottOm-ls also troublesome, for it'll
swing a man to and fro to distance
of seven feet and more. But this is
only on deck. It's quiet enough in
the hold" Suppose such swell
should dash diver against anything2"
Il wouldn't hurt him, sir. The dress
makes him SO light. I have fallen
through many yawn and hole in a
ships decks, fit to break mans neck
and back, you might think for the
depth of it, and have gone very softly,
and have come up again just as quiet
ly."
'Can you converse under water?"
Eyes; but very few know how it's
done. 1t you were to stand up face to
face with another man, each might
burst himself with yelling without
producing the faintest sound. Now,
how do you think you can hear?"
Il can not imagine"
"By lying down. You and your
mate must lie down on your breasts
it must be only your breasts-head to
head Or side by side, close, and IN that
position you'll hear one another as
easily as you and / can hear each other
ia this room"
Il suppose the sound is conveyed by
the deck or sand, or whatever you lie
upon?"
Possibly. only know it is true.
When I found this out spoke to
another diver about it, and he would
not believe me. Well, one day we
happened to go down to a wreck to-
gether. told him beforehand what
position to put himself in; and, after
we had been at work some time, we
came together and both laid down, as
agreed, and I said: ''Jim, are there
many more casks left in the forehold?"
Heaps" he answered right off.
And SO you can hear me?" said l.
"Ay," he answered, wonderfully
plaln; - and with that he laughed, and
SO did I, and we both heard each
others laugh just as we heard each
ether's words" How deep down were
you at the time?" In about eleven
-