Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-15

To be caught in a tight place, with
twenty fathOms of water above, and a still
ness, as of death, about you a slender cord
your only means of communication with
those above-to be caught in tight place,
| gay, under these circumstances Is about
enough to craze a man outright; can tell
you, 1T often toss of penny with us,
when we once get in among the timbers
of an old wreck, if we ever come to the
surface again
/ remember pretty tight fix got into
when we we've diving into the COnquerer,
up the Sound, off the Connecticut shore
She was coming in from the Mediterra-
mean, after a three years cruise and went
down In gale in sight of home, with
every soul on board. ! was young then
and anxious to be the first sent down into
her, for the sake of the reputation it
would give me; for reputation meant
money, you see, was the only reason
Nellie and were deserring our marriage.
lou can understand how matters stood,
and how glad was when in receipt of
orders to make the first dive into the old
man-0f-war.
The sea was running pretty high as I
was carried down in my heavy 'arm0r''
from the deck of the steamer to the float
alongside, where the ropes by which to
haul ME up again were fastened on; the
lndla-rubber tube, through which | was to
be supplied with air. was adjusted, and
stood listening to my final instructions be-
fore being put overheard
Now, dear boy, said my old friend
and instructor, Lott, the famous deep
sea diver who came forward to close the
little glass window in my helmet, take
pOo1 caro- of yourCalf anJ 1o,,'+ cto Io,>c.
below. The currents are swift and treach-
erous about here; and keep an eye to your
ropes or they'll get tangled. Now, then,
goodbye, old fellow, and good luck to
you and with pleasant smile he
closed the glass door before my eyes, and
fastened over it the protective iron net
ting
They bore me up in their arms to the
side OF the float, where the angry waves
were leaping up, as though greedlly open
ing their foamlng, frothy jaws to receive
me.
dropped into the sea with splash,
sinking swiftly down through the brilliant
sunlit waters, which, though rough and
bolsterous at their surface, suddenly grew
calm as passed be,ow.
glanced up at the sun, which appeared
as II great ball of fire, but, growing small
seemed like the tiny red sparks of a can
die, and then faded from sight. noticed
that the waters were lit by pale green
lsh haze, much like the effect of moonlight
In light, drifting fog; but these observa-
tons near the bottom, and, looking below,
found myself over bank of tall, thick
Seaweed
Knowing that if were once entancled
In them they would hold me there for
ever, pulled the signal rope VIOLENTLY.
and my descent was checked just as my
feet touched the treacherous grasses. The
tide bore me slowly along and past them
turning me around again and again in
the eddles and making my head so giddy
that was heartily glad when / cleared
the bank and stood at last upon the bright
sand bottom. The shells and gravel on
the bed of the water were most delicate
and beautiful in formation and exquisite
IN design, but so tender that even the shells
crumbled at my touch.
hurried on with the current until was
before re what judged to be the great
wooden walls of the C0nquerpr; but on
nearing 1T | found it to be a reel of rocks,
fancifully honeycombed from end to end,
and III and out among the little arched
halls of these fern covered chambers the
fish were chasing each other playfulIy or
hanging idly in the waters.
Passing round these rocks, | came upon
a mass of tangled rigging; and d few
steps further brought me to the man-of-
war, half buried where she lay, in the
drifting sand, her spars and top masts
crushed and splintered upon her deck,
her sails and rigging hanging over the
sides and resting upon the broken bull
warks
Great caution was necessary lest should
become entangled among the ropes or
caught under the shifting timbers, and,
making my way slowly to the companion
way sent So SP @ the signal ~ am about tc
enter the vessel shall be in danger
Pay out rope freely and give me plenty
made my way to the lower deck and
found myself in tie forward cabin 1t
was very dark and CROPPED around for the
doorway, knowing that, once IN the MAR
saloon, the deck-lights would enable me to
see more distinctly.
Cleaning the rubbish and drifted SAND
from the doorway, | burst it open, anC
was about to enter, when paused to sum.
mon courage before entering. A mo-
ment and my nervousness was over: put
my shoulder to the door and showed il
bdCh against lIe waters, ana TeS0lutely
entered. An awful silence was on every.
thing-a silence as of death was alone
at the bottom of the sea, in the saloon OF
the Conqueror, and close about me were
postured, like grim sentinels set to watch
me in my work the officers ana the crew
of two hundred
Yes, there were the Inflated men, as
they stood when death overlook them or
that awful night where they were hurried
from their berths on the alarm that the,
were sinking. Before they could reach
the stairway the mighty water had rushed
inupon them and they died where it haC
met them. at the threshold.
The eddying waters carried them her,
and there through the cabin; but so clos,
were they to one another that had t,
part them now and then to reach the after
cabin, and more than one turned as
slowly passed along and followed in tn
ware | made behind me. There face
were often close against my helmet, ant
1t horrlhed me to notice that they all wor
still upon their features the impress O