The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-09-07
TsliIsgss4s.
CLARENCE HERBERT NEW.
tcopyriehs, ,ss,. BY J. D. upp,aeou Col
CHAPTER XI.--Continued.


chart, which wns laid out on n scale OF
three slxty-fourths OF nm inch 10 the
mile, and mnke straight run from
Tarofofo. Knowing as I now did the
exact position of the reef. II wns sim
pie matter TO figure the distance cx.
sctly--49 miles, south-southwest quar-
ter wcst--and steer accordingly.
My calculations proved correct, the
lead touching bot ON a about half.past
eleven. With my former dangerous
experience In mind. / determined TO
locate the wreck, II possible, before 20.
ing down, and ktcered directly along
the precipitous face OF the shoal with a
firm grip on the sounding.line. which
told the instant that we edged of over
deep water. Proceeding In this wny.
the lead was pretty sure To strike the
wreck and drag when we came to IL;
but, as an extrn prccaution. I lowered
away the rock anchor and let II hang
ak feet under water. This experiment
was an entire success, for in few mo-
ments IL caught so sharply against the
perpendicular side OF the hulk as al-
most to snap It's line; had there been
more than rag OF the sail up, II would
have done so.
As we needed all the time there was.
told Dorotea to turn around and gnze
upon the wonders Of the Vastly deep
while got into that diving suit. II
was just us well, however. that curios-
fly got the better OF her before I put
on the helmet, or my appearance might
have scared her into III. The rig GER
tainly made an unconth monster Of me,
but II didn't frightcn her half 40 much
as did the idea of my remaining under
water In II. She clung TO me for several
moments, letting me kiss her ns much
as I pleased, before I could bottle my
self up. Her nervousness wns con
tagious; but | impressed upon her
mind the necessity OF keeping n sharp
lookout for other proas, and showed
her how To signal wiz. the lice II II
should be necessary.
The descent wns accompanied by the
same uncomiortaB." sensation that had
been n feature Of my former experience;
hut, rcyaining confidence a little more
quickly l carefully examined the
wreck with the electric lantern.
dreaded To use dynamite. lest II might
dislodge the stern and send II crashing
down to unfaihomable depths; but
there was 10 choice In the matter. II
would have taken all the afternoon to
cut through the coral and tinbcrs. So.
fixing one OF the cartridges in hole
drilled by the steel bar, I arranged the
line so rs to dc,ach heavy slcdgc ham.
mer, which we had brought, and drop II
upon the mercury capsule.
There was considerable doubt In my
snind whether the thing would ex-
plodc; but when ascendcd to the proa
and, nftcr padding n hundred feet
away, pulled the line, the doubt was
removed. Two or three square rods cf
water rose In gigantic bubble, Rs II
from boiling spring, accompanied by
rumbling which sounded very like
"un terremoto," us Dorotea said.
| lost no time in descending again
when the commotion subsidized. and
found u gaping eight.foot hole in the
hull. For moment or t,,o ! hcsitated
about entering. All the stories about
divers who had been caught and suiro-
Gated In old wrecks flashed through my
mind. but, finally, courage
enough to crawl inside, ] began to in
vestigate. The space evidently had
been an afterhold In the gallcon, for
Il was filled with packages done up In
hides; they and their contents
were now hard ms coral rock. but had
once been indigo bales, without doubt.
A aumbcr of them must have been
stove through the plnnking when the
gallcon struck, for could almost stand
upright without touching the deck
beams overhead.
Cautiously making my way aft,
came to u bulkhead separating the
hold from lazaretto directly beneath
the captains cabin. This / feared
would "" solid. In order to prevent
communication from the forward part
Of the ship; and so II proved. Asit pre-
sumably fenced In the strong room. OF
treasure chamber, there was nothing
to do but force an opening through 4,
without delay. 1T must be under
itood that even diver who has spent
Ecars ut the business, aud has an at
.endant pumping fresh air down to
him, cannot afford to waste an instant
81 time or undertake anything requir'
tig violent exertion while he Ii inside
OF a wreck. under water. The slightes,
miscsloulation, the displacement OF
some heavy object, may cause hin,
either 70 lose his head or to becom,
entsnsled beyond the possibility of es'
cape.) hated to use another cart.
ridge; the chances were even that Il
might blow the treasure into Father
Neptune's subcellnr. But the effect,
g. the first explosion appeared 20 be
merely local, there being no indica tion
81 radlnl splits In the coral incrusta
lion; and that decided the question.
The sledge had disappeared. so the
shorter steel bar had to take it's plac,
aS an explosive agent, Calculating
that the force would be mostly inside
i descended as soon us the rumblinl
had ceased; but the water In the hull
was still violently agitated, and the
current forced me back when at
tempted to enter. After this had sub
sided. crawled into u place SO changed
I'm appearance that II made me fee
queer. The great Jumps which ha,
once been indigo were hurled In all di
rectlons, mostly forward. In som,
places they were piled even with tn,
deck timbers; toward the after bulk
head they were scooped away to q
depth OF six feet and the planklng be
yond was completely crushed through
leaving large hole into the lazaretto
\ WAS ex,aadlnUIv caraful ,..b...