The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-04-08

then steered within a hundred yards
Of the rocks so as 10 get an exact bear
ing. When near enough let the bow
fall of little until the proa was head
ing exactly is degrees and % minutes
10 the westward Of south-the odd
three minutes being an allowance 1
thought best TO make for leeway. My
compass being but six inches in diam
eter. IL was practically impossible to
keep IL exactly on a hair-line between
Is and 16 degrees wher the proa was
crossing a long swell; but by keeping
IL somewhere between the south by
west quarter west and the south by
west half west points ! felt sure OF
holding on fairly true course.
When Orote rock was precisely un-
der the third northerly spur OF Mount
Iiniquio. | knew the bearing they
formed was exactly at right angles
with an airline 10 the reef. and. drop
ping the log screw overheard. COM
menced paying out the line. being care
full that il shouldn't fall low enough to
foul the rocks. Then, with the great
sail Swimming over the water like an
albatross. the proa flew straight for
the open sea.
For over an hour | scarcely lifted
my eyes from the compass; and the
way that frail catamaran held TO her
course would have shamed many
deep-keeled steamer. Looking back
toward the island. the peak Of Tiniquio
was the only thing visible above the
Inri-nn TNvaptv YpinutaS mora md
there was nothing in sight but sky and
water the log dial indicating 3s miles;
so that In little while might expect
TO be near the reef For several min
utes more looked at nothing. thought
OF nothing. but the compass and log
Forty miles-45 miles-50 miles, with
scarcely a deviation from my 1917 de-
grees. Fifty-one miles: was milling
a little with excitement now. Fifty-two
miles; held the paddle between my
knees while gotput the sounding lins
and placed il by my side. Fifty-three
miles; the water certainly seemed
flatter, just ahead. Fifty-four miles;
hauled in my log line and screw, lest
they should catch on the rocks aud be
lost. Two minutes more; | lowered
away the sail uutil there was just
enough pulling 10 give the proa gem
tie Roadway. Over went the leads my
heart was in my mouth as watched
the line-disappear. At l2 feet the two
leather strips went under. then the
three strips; then there was a jerk,
a series Of gentle taps as the lead
dragged along the rock, and ] knew
that at last | had found the Santa
Rosa shoal. / was absolutely alone
upon the broad expanse OF ocean not
even gull in sight. There was moth
ing 10 indicate that the ocean bottom
mile depth over which | had just
sailed and / could have tossed a 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, mystery of the sea which for
nearly century and a half had baf-
fled all investigation. The fact
seemed so wonderful that for some
time l sat there letting IL soak in
where my mind could grasp II.
According 10 Halstead's figures, my
my position was then about twelve
thirty-three, north by one-iorty-four,
twenty-five, east. The figures in Fray
Ignacio's document had been IL de-
grecs 30 minutes 80 seconds north by
IA degrees % minutes no seconds
east. So the approximate position OF
the wreck was one mile farther east.
al
s'uth' ard. from where was. From the
drag OF my lead on bottom calculated
the Roadway TO be about six miles an
hour, and steered due south for twenty
minutes; then | headed east until IL
seemed as though the proa had gone
nm even mile, and was just about TO
stow away the sail, when the lead-line
flashed over the side like lightning. as
II n shark were making off with IL.
But upon grasping the coil | found
only the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF its own
weight, and knew must have reached
the weather side OF the ledge. paid
ont the whole thirty fathcms. but the
pull was as strong as ever. Then. tax
iLg the linen line from the chest, bent
II on TO the other and kept paying out
for several minutes; but no bottom.
Being afraid 10 lose IT, began hauling
n, measuring on the gunwalc as | did
so, and found that II had goue down
over nine hundred feet. Wen. when n
man Is alone in mid-ocean, on nothing
hut few sticks, and finds himself over
an unfathoma BILE abyss. the sensation
II something like that Of worms crawl
ing around In his gizzard-a sort OF
;icklish 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 10 struck bottom and
dragged. Then lowered away the
lump OF coquina which served as an
anchor-leaving fifty feet OF slack line.
which secured TO the mast with run
ming loops-after which ate nm
orange, took few swallows 81 wine.
and fished out the diving-suit.
remember once. when n boy OF "a.
being invited to a very swell ball at
which | expected TO meet n girl who