The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-08-24

a series Of gentle taps as the lead
dragged along the rock, and I knew
that at last had found the Santa
Rosa shoal. was absolutely alone
upon the broad expanse Of ocean not |
even a gull in sight. There was moth
Ing to indicate that the ocean bottom
was any nearer to me than the three
mile depth over which had Just |
sailed and could have tossed n pebble |
Into that from where | sat. Yet had |
actually found and under the impene-
trable mask Of these long, CLASSY
waves was touching, through the lead
line, a mystery of the sea which for |
nearly n century and a half had baf-
fled all investigation. The fact
seemed so wonderful that for some
time I sat there letting It soak In
where my mind could graspit.
According to Halstead's figures, my
my position was then about twelve
th,rty-three, north by one.forty-four,
twenty-five, east. The figures In Fray
lgnacio's document had been l2 de-
grees so minutes 30 seconds north by
14i degrees 90 minutes no seconds
east. So the approximate position of
the wreck was one mile farther east,
and two and half miles to the
s'uth'ard. from where was. From the
dro, NJ nv lend nm bot,om Ic.lcnl,End
the headway to be about six miles an
hour, and steered due south for twenty
minutes; then I headed east until II
seemed as though the proa had gone
nm even mile. and was inst about To
stow away the sail. when the lead.line
flashed over the side like lightning, as
n n shark were making of with IL.
But upon praspinp the coil I found
only the natural resistance OF It's own
weight. and knew must have reached
the weather side Of the ledge. paid
out the whole thirty fathoms, but the
pull was az strong as ever. Then. taxi
ing the linen line from the chest. bent
II on to the other aud kept paying out
for several minutes; but no bottom.
Being afraid to lose IT, began hauling
| In, measuring on the gutwa;c as did
so. aud found that IT. had gone DOWN
| over nine hundred feet. Well. when a
man Is alone In mid-occan. on nothing
but u few sticks. aud finds himself over
an uufathomable abyss. the sensation
| Is something like that OF worms crawl
ing around in his glzzard'-a sort Of
| ,ickiish feeling through his insides.
| Heading M, IN the west'nrd. crept
slovly back over my course, leaving
the lead fatboms upder water. In
| .br,. Minutes II struck bottom and
dr,yy.d Then lowered AWAY the
Iumn NJ coouinn which served ns nm
,pcbor-,coyipc ATTY feet of slack lin.
which I secured to the mast with run.
ming loops--after which I ate IN
orange. took N few swallows OF wine,
and fishcd out the diyiny-suit.
| r.,rorh.r NM. vh., n ho, n, "a
being Invited IN n very swell, bnlI n,
which I expcct.d to meet n yirl who
had ,r,durea N s.ronp ;mpression
u,,r mo and s,e,,,;,g In corseouepce
re,r,y ,,o hours over my toi,., befor.
II was satisfied with II. Put tba,
wasn't n circumstance, IN tho care with
,b,cb I co, into ,b,t diyip, suit
,bough m. time consumed was nn.
prccinb,y less. The recollection OF nv
sensations when first trying IL on gave
me feeling of apprchensivenes,
which II was impossible to shake OFT
] pumped air into the knapsack until
II wouldn't stand another inch. lex,
amined every rivet and clamp, every
seam and strengthening hoop. before
putting II on. Hut at last I was com
pleteiy bottled up, with the sole ex
ception Of the lens in front Of my face
This I lef, omen TO get another bite ot
orange and at least half the bottle o'
wine, realizing that no matter how
much might want either. under wa
ter, they would he simply out of tn,
question.
Then ( screwed on the lens, ope nee
the valve from the knansack. and start
ed IN s,cp over the pnp,yale. hpt m,
feet seemed glued fast. Ind for
gotten that the l.adep soles OF m,
shoes weighed I6 pounds each, ant
that there were weights attached Il
my shoulders and belt as well. The,
got themselves over at last. however
and, letting the line slip through my
hand, I sank rapidly TO the bottom.
A, sr, "a. s.,.,,,o, ,.os si,,;,, .,
a;rirr n,L.J In J.en wa,.r Th.r
: ,.,. H.. sn,. hul,,Lir, nnmh,.ss :,
J ~, - 49,, i,,,,,r.s.;,,, % I,nh, ,,;,,,
To- nsrs,r,,i,y ,brnurb mn onanr,
J ~ snhs,ancs ard gro,ssoue shad
ewy ohi..,s which caught M The fsc
onS mnIs i, Jio,cnI, to stem. m. ,b
san.a -, ,nor,n, f.s,ino ,yas s,r,nn,
na 49,, ,,,.n,n,ar,a,J. Had I, na
h.sr Tor ,,aIs,.nd,s nr,cau,ion In max
~, -, ,ry IN. sult nm | nigh, ensiI,
have lost nv head during the first fiv,
: minutes. There was a rushing of al