The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-08

long, low, and regular in outline. |
approached it; then L gave a sort of
gasp inside my helmet. Good heavens!
1t was ship!
A big steamer, too! What sight she
presented as she lay there on her side,
rising and failing with the undulating
| motion of the ground! Her masts and
tunnels We're gone, her decks torn up,
and her bows battered in, almost down
to the foremast. Around her, the
place was Uttered with wreckage, car
go of every description, and the bones
of her gallant crew. What was her
name? / groped my way to the stern,
held up my lamp, and read: "Ontario,
Liverpool"
Scarcely had l left her, and moved
further along the hollow, than another
hum appeared in sight. A sailing ship
this time! After that, almost every
step | took brought me in view of Il
sunken vessel. They lay scattered
around in all directions, and in all posi-
tions; some mere shells, others just be-
binning to break up, and u few which
showed they had been ailoat within the
last year or two. The battered bows of
each told the same terrible story. Ships
of every sZe-Hnd of almost every ma
tion, | suppose--were huddled together
in this awful valley of death Here
stood the remains of an old three-deck-
er, and by her side day the skeleton Of
a small vessel. not much bigger than Il
schooner. / turned away. | had seen
enough!
At the opposite side from which I had
Inr nm
ward tendency in the ground | de-
termined to proceed in that direction
After walking for a few minutes the
ascent grew sleeper. l made slow
progress, and was nearly hurled back
into the hollow more than once. | went
down, and tore am iron bar from one of
the vessels. Armed with this | renewed
the attempt and found it afforded me
great assistance in the climb.
Steadying myself with the bar, and
taking advantage of every piece of pro-
jecting rock which might aid my as
cent ! crept up the steep slope On
went, painting, and half stined, not dar-
ing to pause lest | should be swept
away by the strong current which
seemed to beat down upon me from
above. At last l reached sort of mar
row platform, and stood there, with my
bar thrust into a crevice. / looked up.
Above me rose a great, towering, ir-
regular mass of solid rock!
l scarcely remember how I got back
to the boat, for | was feeling terribly
exhausted, and my head was dizzy.
When / reached the deck of the yacht,
it was only to drop into the nearest
seat. / must have looked scared and
white, for Captain George hurried to
my side.
"Whatever is the matter, Lawrence
SOM" he said. you look as if you had
just escaped from the jaws of some sea
monster"
Il have escaped from the jaws of
death itself!' l replied.
You found the rock?"
81 did"
He turned hastily, and gave an order
to one of his men, who darted away
toward the saloon. Presently the man
came running up with a glass and a
bottle of brandy.
Here, swallow off this" said Cap
tain George, handing me a pretty stiff
dram. Il can we'll imagine the sight
was enough to give any man Il bit of q
shock"
After dinner he made me go through
the whole story of my adventure that
morning. He listened attentively, never
interrupting me once.
Just as / thought" he said, when l
had finished
He rose from his seat, and walked up
and down in silence. as if pondering
deeply over what he had just heard.
DO you know, Lawrenceson," he
said, suddenly halting before me, II
would like to go down and have look
at the place myself
Don't do it, Captain George" 1 re-
piled hastily
"Why not? 1T is not often a man
gets q chance of witnessing a sight
like that The risk, if there is any,
does not deter me; | shall ask for the
loan Of your diving dress this after
noon, and make the attempt"
knew he was not the sort of man to
be lightly turned from his purpose, so
had to give in. / told him he would
have little difficulty in finding the spot,
as the boatmen had stationed buoy
over it. | did not accompany him, for
/ was feeling a bit out of sorts, and laid
down on couch in the saloon. l was
soon fast asleep.
An hour or two later I was aroused
| by step on the cabin stairs. ] looked
| up, and saw Captain George entering
| the saloon. He went straight into his
| own cabin, without even glancing in
my direction.
When he had changed the diving
dress for his ordinary yachting suit, he
| came out into the saloon, and sat down
well Captain George, what did you
think of it?" l asked.
at might we'll be called The Grave
| yard of the Ocean," he replied, sol
emnly.
There was silence for minute OF
| two; then he said:
"That three-decker must be the old
Redoubtable, fancy. She left Bermuda