Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-05-17

as wholly devoid of effort as it is when
lam walking about on dry land. You
know that by means of an air-pump,
worked by two men, the diver is sup
piled with air. Through hose this
air passes into the back of his helmet,
and near its place OF entrance is
spring valve for its escape. This
valve can be controlled by the diver,
but he usually sets it before going into
the water and seldom disturbs it after
ward. The pressure of the air being
greater than that of the water, sur
plus of the former readily escapes.
When this valve is not sufficient,
the diver can open in his breast
plate similar spring valve, in
tended only for such an emer-
gency. He can also regulate the
amount of air pumped to him
by signals upon the air-hose to the
men engaged in pumping. One pull
upon the hose means more air; two
pulls, less air, and two pulls and a
shake. Il want to come up These
signals on the air-hosc are generally
used by all divers, but each one of us
has his own private code of signals on
the lifeline, which is always fastened
to the divers waist, and by means of
which he is drawn up out of the water.
These signals each diver writes down
very carefully and gives to the man in
charge of the lifeline. By means of
these we can send up for tools, ma
terial, etc. When alengthy communi-
cation is to be made we send up for n
slate and write all we want to say.
1t is just as easy to read and write
under water as out of it One can see
very plainly, all objects being greatly
magnified."
"Does diver have any unpleasant
sensations while at workP"
"None, save drumming in the
ears, and this will some times destroy
the hearing if the diver remains too
long below. Four hours two in the
morning and two in the afternoon,
constitute days work, and if the
diver restricts himself to this limit
there is little or no danger of his be-
coming deaf; but if he goes much be-
yond it he is pretty sure to injure his
hearing. / once remained under water
for nine hours and as consequence
completely lost the use of my left ear
for three months, during which time l
suffered agony with ear aches.
Eventually, however, my hearing be-
came normal again. Aside from this,
the sensations are delightful, and l
feel just as well, happy and contented
at the bottom of the sea as ever can
under any circumstances.
While engaged in raising the sunken
schooner Dauntless in Kingston,
Jamaica, ON the 18th day of August
1880, l became so disgusted at the
stupidity of the men above in answer
ing my signals that took book
which l found in the captains cabin,
and sitting down read it for nearly an
hour | once knew a diver, Tom
Brintley by name, who, though thor
oughly competent man and good
fellow, was little too fond of stimu.
lants. On one occasion he went down
with pretty good cargo of spirits
aboard, and the men above not know.
ing his condition, became seriously
alarmed, when several hours passed
by without their receiving any signal:
from him or any response to those they
made to him. Another diver was sent
down to look for him, and found him
living on his back at the bottom of the
ocean. sixty feet below the surface
fast asleep,
"What is the greatest depth evel
descended TOP Well, about ninety
feet, and it takes me about three min
utes to go down that far.
"Must not diver be practica
shp-builder, alsoP"
"Oh, yes; the diver who could d,
nothing but dive would be of very
| little use. He must be both shil
carpenter and boiler maker as well
that he may repair sunken ships
The hole must be patched and thu
water pumped out before a ship cal
be raised"
"SharksP have often seen larg,
schools of them. They would advanc,
to within few feet of me, and woul(
then stop and look at me in apparen
wonder as though trying to make on
what manner of strange creature the,
were gazing at. They are mos
cowardly fish, however, and the slight
est menace on my part would frightcl
them away. As was repairing tn
schooner Shepherd in Kingston QUE
day l felt something tampcring witt
my left-hand middle finger. Look
ing. l found baby shark. evidentl,
much too young to leave its materna
parent trying to nibble it.
1.-The pay of diverP That varies
Divers generally work by the job, ant
when they do that they sometime
make it pay very well. A diver vii
go down, look at a vessel and thel
state what he will charge to raise her
l raised the schooner Dauntless in tw
days and received $3.50 for my tim
and trouble. The steamer Meredith
ashore at Jeremie, in Hayti. l REPAIRS
with iron plate and raised in fourtee
days, receiving $500 for the work
but l had to employ two assistants
Frequently. however. divers are pai
by the day. and then the average CON
pensation is about $40 per day of fou
hours. clear of all expenses the dive
being furnished with first-class passag
to and from the place of his work, an
with first-class board during the perio
of his employment. But some diver