The Mena star., 1899-07-13
lCopyrIEhi. 1897. by J. B. uppineots Gel

SAdSi poSltlon or the reef, II was a sim. pie matter to figure the distance ex. actly-49 miles, south-southwest ouars ter west-and steer accordingly.
 My calculations proved correct, the lead touching bottom at about half-past eleven. With my former dangerous experience in mind. l determined to locate the wreck. if possible, be fore go ing 6own. and steered directly along the prccipitous face of the shoal with a firm grip on the sounding line, which toic ;hc instant that we edged off over deep water. Proceeding in this way. the lead was pretty sure 10 strike the wreck and drag when we came 10 ii: but. as an extra precaution, I lowered away the rock anchor and let ii hang six feet under water. This experiment was an entire success, for in few mo ments it caught so sharply against the perpendicular side of the hulk as al. most to snap it's line; had there been more than a rag of the sail up, it would have done so.
 As we needed all the time there was. told Dorotea to turn around and gaze upon the wonders of the vasty deep while got into that diving suit. Ii was just as well. however, that curios. ity got the better Of her before put on the helmet, or my appearance might have scared her into fit. The rig cer. tainly made an uncouth monster of me. but if didn't frighten her half so much as did the idea of my remaining under water in 1t. She clung 10 me for several moments, letting me kiss her as much as I pleased, before l could bottle my self up. Her nervousness was con tagious; but I impressed upon he. mind the necessity of keeping sharp lookout for other proas, and showed her how to signal with the line if if should be necessary.
 The descent was accompanied by the same uncomfortable sensa ion that had been feature of my former experience; ; but, regaining confidence little more quickly carefully examined the wreck with the electric lantern. ] dreaded to use dynamite, lest it might dslodge the stern and send it crushing down to unfathomable depths; but there was no choice in the matter. Ii would have taken all the afternoon to cut through the coral and timbe So fixing one Of the cartridges in a hole drilled by the steel bar. l arranged the line so as to detach heavy sledge ham mer, which we had brought. and drop it upon the mercury capsule.
 There was considerable doubt in III, mind whether the thing would ex- pode; but when I ascended to the proa and. after padding d hundred feel away. pulled the line. the doubt was removed. Two or three square rods ct water rose in q gigantic bubble, as if from a boiling spring. accompanied by q rumbling which sounded very like "un terremoto." as Dorotea said,
 lost TO time in descending again when the commotion subsidcd. and found d gaping eight-foot hole in the hull. For q moment o' two l hesitated about entering. All the stories about divers who had been caught and suffo cated in old wrecks flashed through my mind. But, finally. mastering courage enough to crawl inside, l began to in yestigate. The space evidently had been m afterhold in the galleon, for it was filled with packages done up in hides; they and their contents were now hard as coral rock, but had once been indigo bales, without doubt. A number of them must have been stove through the planking when the galleon struck, for could almost stand upright without touching the deck beams overhead.
 Cautiously making my way aft, l came to a bulkhead separating the hold from lazaretto directly beneath the captains cabin. This l feared would be solid, in order to prevent communication from the forward part of the ship; and so it proved. sitpre- sumably fenced in the strong room, or treasure chamber, there was nothing to do but force an opening through 1t without delay. Qt must be under stood that even diver wEo has spent years at the business, and has an at before that when concealed the gold and other articles in the Assure, so that, catching enough sea bass on the way to account for our long sail, we arrived at Agana by eight. In all my experience with sailing craft, extend ing over many years and gathered up- oVs avery sea of the globe, never found anything to>equal the island proas of tbe western Pacific in either speed or
 f*w Qn account of their strength