The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-20
How IRQSCQ0d TIE Maine Heroes.

their cap.rs were marvellous and beau
tiful. Two shining hsh with double tails
were pulling on opposite ends Of what
might have been a sweet potato for II
vas yellow. and they were greedy one
Of the biggest Dish had stuck his cartil-
aglnous sword through a square OF salt
pork and was hurrylng II away TO some
sea-caverned cellar.
But / knew | must not pause there.
There was greater work beyond. - |
sank 20 the depth Of the Maine | found
myself suddenly facing a great hole,
willie underneath my feet were boards
and sheets Of iron. as though laid out
for q platform. / quickly signalled Tor
The boat above 10 stop. and stood there
fo- a minute and surveyed the scene
before ma. II was pitch dark within
and nv most powerful hand electric
ueht could not penetrate the a"tdi re-
cess.
knew that I must walk Inside and
tbrov the Neht here and there before l
could know the secrets Of the depths
II was my belief as soon as | saw II
that the Maine was blown up from some
external cause. but OF this dstermlneu
tn report nothing as my work was WIN
The brave souls that perished Wl4h'n'
Rut the Maine was bent H. ana you
could plainly see Il was, as thoush sue
had been shot In the side with nylng
she'll.
pid saw II was dark? Not quite The
Goa flashed with light on every side. Tor
.ho phosphoresccnt crabs were there.
and the scafans made golden. green ana
mink hues. These gave out blue sclnul-
iatlons. Other queer fish which l haa
M, noticed before sent out light green
eiow Each animal seemed to be n
urht r-iver. and the twinkle they shed as
ttov 0oated IN and out OF the wreck
WAS so weirdly suggested mat cou'u
only think Of miners cropping IN Darn
mine with TIE lights upon their helmets
rrt tbere was work 10 be done. CUE
ling into the wreck I threw my hen'
ohaad and examined each point. II was
a., ocf.I SIGHT. I saw detached arms
ana Ices and skulls ripped bare or mar
ssw bodlas that were drowned by the
r.9tor and bodies that were not drown
cd an all. but held down by great pieces
Of Milling wood.
Mechanically. with tho instinct Of a
diver reached for the hrst man az
band Tie was a japanese. His features
,..re nutilated. bur I could catch the
raco cast. I took him IN my arms ana
started out with him. but he doubled UP
strangely. and / found that he haa oeen
outtod from the rear a great mole was
I'M his back. and it was empty rios thal
I was carrying. I laid the poor i."o"
Rod tendcrlv on my shoulder ana TOOK
him up TO the surface; 'hcn / went Uo""
again. All. .tr,o
eavv sornething moving inside a strors
fosr took possession of me. Iouid any
,ivinr boing have survived the blast ana
the water? Could any one have been lil-
nrlsoned by "a freak OF dynamite I'D q"
t.-tto,t vyater-tieht compartment now
10 work hts way out after many days.
As came nearer. for the object was
In the inner room. ] was startled 10 see
VAS that most greedy Of ocean MON
.t.rs-a shark lie had In his TEEN
.odv and was swimming rapidly 'o""lu
-ho door. 7 took up an axe. resolved 10
-ecover that sailor or die IN the attempt.
rt. sbork eaw mo and turned toward
ne I waited for him with uphtted axe
vhon he was within ten feet OF me
timed a biow which struck him IN tho
aldo and n great yellowish streak OK
shark blood followed the axe handle
lie eave a qIecr gulp. which ] could
hear end. dronDing his victim. hed WIN
swift etrokoa Of The tail I carried this
man above lie was IN A worse shape
nan the other poor fellow, but got
him no To- o soldiers burial
Tho rest Of the horrible story you
know. or the bodies recovered. the cur
-cncv saved and the machinery rescued.
Z was there when they found the cipher
book of the signals Of the United States
N4vv and saw the valuable articles
olaced I'm the possession Of the captain.
worked on the Maine sixteen days
steadily. and only gave up because
was TOO Tired 20 work any longer
JOHN WALL
Florida Diver.