The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-11-25

4 - left to the mercy of the
= >e of such a mishap their
Us would instantly carry them
to the bottom, and the air tub being dis
connected by the violent jerk, all chance
of escape would be cut off.
The experiences of diver are many
and interesting. After he has once
reached the sunken vessel, whether by
beng lowered straight down from the
wrecking craft or by walking along the
bottom OF the ocean to avoid currents,
he must search through the hall OF the
ship as though she were floating upon
the surface OF the water. TO do this he
carries a small lamp with him which
gives out a peculiarly brilliant light
when under the water, and makes the
surrounding objects glistcn with all the
colors of the rainbow. larc must be
taken that the air-tube does not get
tangled up in any way, or cut by trlc-
ton against the side of the vess.l. In
fortunate divers have frequently lost
their lives by this means, when explor-
ing the intricate passages of vessel at
great depths below the surface of the
water. Danger is also experienced from
heavy pieces of timber, boxes, barrels,
and even dead bodies, which are often
floating around in the hold of sunken
vessel. 4 diver, once telling of the trouble
that he had in exploring wreck, said
that he was constantly annoyed by sew
eral heavy chests which kept moving
about with every swell of the sea. One
came so near to his diving that he
was forced to give it violent push,
which sent it against the opposite wall
-ofthe small cabin. Instantly it rebounded
and came within an inch of the diver S
head-dreSs, which it would have quickly
broken had it struck it. But by lodging
in time the chest passed harmlessly over
him, and the next moment it collided
with another similar chest. The force
of the collision broke one of the hoops
of the huge box, and the next moment a
glittering pile of Acwly stamped gold
coins rolled out upon the floor of the
cabin. The chest had been used as a sort
of treasury box by the captain, and all
of his valuables were locked up in it.
Besides gold and silver pieces of money,
rich jewels and pre- ious stones escaped
from the brass bound chest and presented
to the divers gaze rare sight. The
light from his small lamp, shining
through the water, made the golden heap
eSeem brighte' than ever.
sunken wreck is like WIS.,
i,itibg. q submarine city, depopulated by q
flood, The broken spars, torn rigging,
and faiisn asts and blackencd hulk, all
suggest the presence of death and de-
struction. Through the black mass
fishes of every size aud species glide,
and around on the rocks and sand beau
tiful specimens of submarine nora and
fauna grow. Huge a.spiders and crabs
haunt these solitary depths, and make
the wrecks their abiding places, even as
the lizards and reptiles oi the land con-
gyegate in iong-deserted houses and
make them their homes. Floating sea-
weed and moss soon collect upon the
spars and rigging, and in time the whole
wreck is covered over with light green
ish mossy substance.
The diver when walking under the
sea is permitted to see some OF the most
beautiful and picturesque scenes the eye
can imagine. For thirty feet below the
surface of the ocean the solar rays are
distinctly visible through the watery
mass, and all objects are distinguished
for several hundred feet around. Beyond
that the tintS darken into fine gradations
of ultramarine until they fade into vague
obscurity. The white sand, wrinkled
as though each billow had left its
impression at the bottom of the sea,
seems almost like q reflector. His lamp
seems unnecessary in this transparent
fluid; but as he advances and the water
increases in depth, darkness gradually
settles around him. Dark objects are
soon outlined in the distance, and the
fine, white sand is changed to Shiny
mud, composed of equal parts of silicious
and calcareous shells. Flowers, plants,
mollusks, prickly fungi, rocks, and
various colored shells seem to spring up
from every side, and the rays of the sun,
striking the water and shading these
submarine wonders, form perfect ka-
leidoscope of green, yellow, orange, violet,
indigo, aud blue. Plains Of sea-weed. of
wild and luXuriant vegetation, make a
carpet of unr:valed softness, while per-
feet network of marine plants and sea-
weed float over his head. Beautiful
star-fsh, queer shell-fish, and variegated
stones bcdeck the rocks and bottom of
the sea like precious gems. Thousands
of fish of all varieties and tierceness swim
around in tiocks or singly, darting hither
and thither after their prey, or quietly
watching the daring intruder. In the
midst of these submarine wonders, and
under the arbors of rich plants and flow
ers, the diver unhesitatingly makes his
way.-ArQondut.