The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-13

the weather side of the ledge. paid
out the whole thirty fathoms, but the
pull was as strong as ever. Then, taxi
ing the linen line from the chest, l bent
it on to the other and kept paying out
for several minutes; but no bottom.
Being afraid to lose it, Ibegan hauling
IN, measuring on the gunwale as did
SO, and found that it had gone down
over nine hundred feet. Well, when a
man is alone in mid-ocean, on nothing
but few sticks, and finds himself over
an unfa thomable abyss, the sensation
is something like that of worms crawl
ing around in his gizzard-a sort of
ticklish feeling through his insides.
Heading out to the west'ard. I crept
slowly back over my course, leaving
the lead fathoms under water. In
three minutes it struck bottom and
dragged. Then I lowered away the
lump of coquina which served as an
anchor-leaving fifty feet OF slack line,
which I secured to the mast with rum
ming loops-after which I ate an
orange, took few swallows of wine,
and fshed out the diving-suit.
I remember once, when a boy of is,
being invited to very swell ball at
which I expected to meet a girl who
had produced strong impression
upon me, and spending, inconsequence,
nearly two hours over my toilet before
I was satisfied with it. But that
wasn't circumstance to the care with
which got into that diving suit,
though the time consumed was APP
preciably less. The recollection of my
sensations when first trying it on gave
me a feeling of apprehensiveness
which it was impossible to shake off.
/ pumped air into the knapsack until
it wouldn't stand another inch. ex-
amined every rivet and clamp, every
seam and strengthening hoop, before
putting it on. But at last I was COM
pletely bottled up, with the sole ex-
ception of the lens in front of my face.
This left open to get another bite of
orange and at least half the bottle of
wine, realizing that no matter how
much might want either, under wa
ter, they would be simply out of the
question.
Then screwed on the lens, opened
the valve from the knapsacll and start
ed to step over the gunwale; but my
feet seemed glued fast; / had for
gotten that the leaden soles of my
shoes weighed 16 pounds each, and
that there We're weights attached to
my shoulders and belt as we'll. They
got themselves over at last, however,
and, letting the line slip through my
hand, I sank rapidly to the bottom.
AT first the sensation was similar to
diving. naked, in deep water. There
was the same bubbling numbness in
the ears, the impression of light, faint
ly penetrating through an opaque
green substance, and grotesque shad-
owy objects which caught at the feet
and made it difficult to step. The alb
sence of buoyant feeling was strange
and very uncomfortable. Had it not
been for Halstead's precaution in maxi
ing me try the suit on, might easily
have lost my head during the first five
minutes. There was rushing of air
from the knapsaclS which made me
gasp for breath, and the continual
pop-pop-pop4popping of airIbubbles
from the top of the copper helmet
| filled me with horrible dread that
the water was pressing in upon me
through some unsupported leak in the
| ar1nor.
4 Presently, however, it seemed evil
dent that was neither drowning nor
suffocating yet, and tried to look
| about me. Every thing had the shad-
owy appearance that objects will take
on in room from which the sunlight
has been excluded by window-shades
Ia sort of cool twilight. But as my
eyes became accustomed to it, and a:
confidence began to return, could
see more distinctly. My body was, pro.
tected by copper hoops which allowed
me to breathe in comparative free
dom, but my limbs felt as though the
sleeves and brooches were IA sizes toe
tight and were likely to split when
ever they moved.
AS nearly as one might calculate, the
range of sight extended in radius O.
about so feet-though at that distanc.
objects had merely the appearance o:
blurred sses-and in q few moments
commenced making my way along
the reef to the s'uth' ard, keeping a!
near the easterly edge as dared, bu
being careful to plant each foot firm
~ before taking a step. It must hav,
been instinct which led me down tn.
reef instead of up, for when hat
walked a couple of hundred yards
stumbled against dark mass which
seemed to be an abrupt rise in til,
shoal. The side coward me was 81
steep that was afraid to climb it, 81
I walked carefully around, wondering
at it's odd overhanging formation a
the westerly end. At the southerl,
side it sloped away in gentle decliv
ity, which mounted with ease.
The rock must have been at least Il
feet higher than the surrounding
ledge, for could see the sun through
r. -