The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-08-18
RAISES sUNKEN SHIPS.
INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH
A VETERAN DIVER
Aoram Onderdonk Tells of Submarine
Experiences-Deep Sea Monsters to
contend With-Raising Dead Bodies
Requires Courage

Abram Onderdonk is the Oldest
suomarlne diver in the United States
Durlng thirty seven of the fifty-nine
years OF his life he has been con-
tinuously engaged in the pursuit of
his vocation
'These travels under the waves
nave their terrors and danger oc-
cas1onally," said he to a New York
herald representative, "but nerve.
Win prudence, are reasonable guar
antees of safety. In some localities.
the greatest terror to a divers#ss thu
sword Isss,s hose short, bony sword
protrudlng from its head is almost
as strong as steel. Well, this fish
speeds along through the water
| charging dead ahead. never veerino
from straight course for ANYTHING
| except rocky ledge or the iron hull
OF some large vessel He seems to
lnstlnct1vely distinguish an iron hull
IRON wooden one If he strikes a.
! wooden craft his sword almost in
variably pierces through it.
81 thank my lucky stars that
never directly confronted but one of
these frightful creatures, and that
was young one with a cartilagen-
Gus sword saw him coming for
quite distance and working
straight toward me. I guess nv
halr stood up as straight and stiff as
porcuplne quills; anyhow, l was
working with an axe on the deck of a
5unken ship, and quickly raised the
axe and made ready to hit him, but
ne gllded past me out of his guards
range, and you may imagine how
much easier I breathed as watched
him forging his course far awav
from me.
"In tropical seas, as in the West
Indies, the water is so beautifully
clear and transparent that the
bottom is visible at the depth of
from sixty to hundred feet below
the surface.
"Along the coast of the island of
Margueretta, and in many parts of
the Caribbean sea, there are scenes of
surprisingly lovely submarine won
lers. In many places the bed of the
ocean is as smooth and firm as a
house floor, and the water is as
transparent as crystal
.'Ihe white sandy bottom acts as a.
@cefieetor to the brig t sunshine
above the surface. If you have ever
looked through clean glass jar or
bottle filled with clear water and ex-
amined some object placed on the
opposite side, you realize the magni-
tying effect. which is about the same
under the sea in clear water. Walk
ing in diving suit is an easy, glid-
ing motion. 1t is slow without being
at all laborious, and the scope of vis-
ion is about an eighth of mile.
"There are many queer-looking
creatures. Some have horns and
wing-shaped fms; others have double
Tapping tails and there is peculiar
kind having but one eye, in the CEN
ter of the head. The largest, queer
est and quaintest of all is the jew
fish, averaging from three to five
feet each in length. Bright green
| 5treaks extend over their backs blue
! scales cover their sides and their
bellies are glistening white
'Ihere are, however, some terri
bic sea monsters, though-the worst
and most formidable Of all is the .oc.
topus,' Or devil fsh'-they are
frightful, almost beyond description.
When l was in New Zealand, one of
my men, Archie McGavan, while law
ing some wharf blocks was suddenly
surprised by al immense creature of
that kind Despite Archie's strug-
giles (and he was a powerful man)
the monster completely overpowered
| him. He was locked in the tremen-
| dous claws of the devil fish, and fas-
| tened helpless against submerged
spile. The man realized his peril,
and kept quiet until his assailant-
whose arms measured fully nine feet
--loosened his hold Then Archie
slgnaled to be drawn up, and came
to the surface with the hideous
creature clinging to his back.
| "Dlvers sometimes look upon aw-
full scenes and situations, some of
them being frightful beyond express
sion. Human nerve cannot with
stand some of these spectacles of
horror-they are enough to drive
the strongest nerved man stark mad.
About three years an old mate of
mine, Victor Hinston. was employed
by the Pacific Coast steamship COM
| pany, OF San Francisco, at the pay
Of $50 per day to dive and examine
the steamship City of Chester, that
had been sunk in collision with
the steamer Oceanic He located
the vessel in fifty fathoms of water.
She had been cut in two as if split by
a single blow of an immense ak.
"While walking into the steerage
| the first object that met his gaze
| was the form of a man standing up
right entangled in a pile of rope.
The ghastly face of the corpse was
| terribly distorted, and the tongue,
| protruding, hung from the mouth,
while the body was swollen to twice
1 it's natural size. Going little fur
I ther aft he saw another victim of
the wreck, who had fallen on his