The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1899-08-18

ing the linen line from the chest, bent
it on to the other and kept paying out
for several minutes; but no bottom.
Being afraid to lose it. l began hauling
N. measuring on the gunwale as l 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 unfathomable abyss. the sensation
is something like that of worms crawl
ing around in his gizzard-a sort of
sicklish feeling through his insides.
Heading out to the west'ard, 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 fished out the diving-suit.
l remember once. when boy of Is,
being invited to a very swell ball at
which I expected to meet a girl who
had produced a strong impression
upon me. and spending. in consequence.
nearly two hours over my toilet before
l was satisfied with it. But that
wasn't circumstance to the care with
which l got into that diving suit,
though. the time consumed was ap-
preciably less. The recollection of my
sensations when first trying it on gave
me feeling of apprehensiveness
which it was impossible to shake off,
l 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 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 knapsack. and start
ed to step over the gunwale; but my
feet seemed glued fast; l had for
gotten that the leaden soles of my
shoes weighed l6 pounds each. and
that there were weights attached to
my shoulders aud belt as well. They
got themselves over at last. however,
and. letting the line slip through my
hand, 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
~ 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 max
ing me try the suit on. l might easily
have lost my head during the first five
minutes. There was a rushing of air
from the knapsack which made me
gasp for breath, and the continual
pop-pop-pop-poppin of air-bubbles
from the top of the copper helmet
filed me with a horrible dread that
the water was pressing in upon me
through some unsupported leak in the
srmor.
Presently, however, it seemed evil
dent that was neither drowning nor
sutfocating yet. and l tried to look
about me. Everything had the shad-
owy appearance that objects will take
on in a room from which the sunlight
has been excluded by window-shades
"a sort of cool twilight. But as my
eyes became accustomed to it, and as
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 breaches were IA sizes too
tight and were likely to split when
ever they moved.
AS nearly as one might calculate, the
range of sight extended in radius of
about so feet-though at that distance
objects had merely the appearance OF
blurred masses-and in few moments
1 commenced making my way along
the reef to the s'uth'ard, keeping as
near the easterly edge as l dared, but
being careful to plant each foot firm
ly before taking a step. 1t must have
been instinct which led me down the
reef instead of up. for when l had
walked couple of hundred yards
stumbled against a dark mass which
seemed to be an abrupt rise in the
shoal. The side toward me was so
steep tina; l was afraid to climb it, so
l walked carefully around. wondering
at its odd overhanging formation at
the westerly end. At the southerly
side it rlopee away in a gentle decliv-
ity, which l mounted with ease.
ITO BE coNrrNuED.I