The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-11

thing solid with q heavy fhud. which
Knocked the wits out OF me ard made
me feel sure that rny time had come
and was sgoner Bot was al
right and safe and near by me stood l
the fgure Of Mr.. Warren, who had
preceded my descent / then saw
that NE stood on the steamers deck.
the smokesfzck and sn2sts looming up
ike stalking shadows n the water
We walked up and down the entire
length OF the deck Of the noble craft.
which rests upright, half barred in the
sand. We pass along 70 the eosnpan-
ion-wav and descend TO the saloon
Al would be invisible here except for
the electric lamp which Illuminated
the whole interior. 70 that we could
see distinctly. There vas but little
surging OF clIrrents. and the sea above
vas almost calm All the furniture.
and everything movable had dlsap-
peared Some pieces Of carpet ard
the stateroaFu partition remained, the
doors swinging y and fro with the
action Of the water.
A variety OF cFusfaceo were visible,
fastened all around. and seemed 70 be
growing all the time. There was moth
ing dreadful, tragic. or threatening in
the appearance 81 anything and moth
ing 10 inspire terror. although every
thing was suggestive Of lonline>s. desc
lation, abandonment and destruction
The most nlsurnfui. gloomy inn
pressiUns were received while viewing
the engine room and machinery
which apparently remains intact, just
as il was when the yes eel went down.
The huge structure OF iron and steel,
the rods, levers. pistons, cylinders,
etc. were-n nearly all of then-in
position, corroded, soiled and un-
slightly, yet they still were emblemati-
cal OF tremendous strength and power,
paraiyzei, helpless. abandoned.
An ocean giant, entombed IN Sep-
tunes aqueous graveyard
Nv companion had started for the
lower cshin, and ! stood watching the
gleam OF his electric lamp-disappear-
ing In the distance, / stood and unused
on the mutabilitieS OF life. Probably
had stood there 10 minutes in pro-
found thought, nay mind teeming
with nominations. when suddenly
there came q punch and thwaek on
my back. shove against my shoulder
and poke in my ribs. felt my knees
tremhle aud my teeth chatter.
II felt like bowling or yelling.
But that would do me no good,
II had tried il before. / had
not time 10 continue my nominations
when my hemlet received such
''thwack bang" that caused me to
totter and almost fall.
Just then, as | was almost overcome
with bewilderment, received a dou-
bic thwack across my shoulders which
almost threw me on my knees. and,
Just as calculated " Oh, Lordyi" and
gazed through my little easement. |
saw n great yellow eye. set in huge
scaley head, glaring at me through the
glass. This sudden and novel appari-
ton started up new fright, and | won
dered what sort OF sea monster il
might be- All that was visible to me
through my narrow little window was
staring, glaring, savage, menacing,
voraeious-looking yellow eve, and sur
rounding it vas ponderous scaly
creature, iioating-or rather lying pas
sive. My startled Imagination madeit
appear like small mountain whale,
leyiathan, or perhaps a genuine old
sea serpent. My heart went 'pit-a-
pat, great drops OF perspiraion stood
out upon my face and a CULVER of ex-
element possessed me. | commenced
to speculate on the possibilities of be-
ing doomed as second Jonah, and
tried TO reckon the probabilities of my
being gulped down that hideous
monsters throat at one mouthful. |
reasoned within myself that could
not be so easily swallowed, clad as ]
was in that diving costume of coarse
rub Der and canvas, with the heavy
metal shoulder piece and helmet, and
II was possibly gulped down proba
bly, | would not prove such tooth
some morsel as the whale had antici-
pated. All | could do was to hope
that his whaleship would swim along
the coast until he reached Coney
Island or Long Branch, and there cast
me UPON the beaeh--whence | could
find may way home. All this time,
while these thoughts rushed to and
fro in my mind, that glaring, staring,
liendish eye was mercilessly rivited
upon me. suddenly there was COM
motion in the water, and the horrible
iishy incubus swan away; and as it
iloated Oft in the light, | discovered il
to be a harmless, innocent, huge sea
bass, about four feet in length, and
very likely its curiosity as TO what
manner Of creature might be was as
great as my frightfal apprehension of
its intentions toward me.
Just then, greatly 10 my relief. my
companion returns, gives the signal,
and we are drawn up to the deck OF
our staunch craft, released from our
diving dress, and soon are steaming
briskly along. "homeward bound"
SAINT G.