Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-06
CHAPTER VII

'ound that at first their view was a
iolerably wide one The most striking
popularity which they noticed was
that, in place of the atmosphere which
they had just left, they seemed to be
looking through an immense mass OF
bottle green glass The roof of the con-
ming tower, which was not transparent,
prevented them from seeing directly
overhead, and as the angle at which
they could catch glimpse of the sur
face of the ocean above them was less
by several degrees than the critical an
gle the result was that this surface be-
came to them one swaying, shimmering
mirror The sky above was not visible
through it, but objects in the sea below
We're reflected in strange distorted
forms on its constantly moving surface
Eat the scenery of the outer air and
The doings of the world above were not
n the thoughts of any of the party at
hat moment for in the population Of
The world of waters through which they
we're passing there was an absorbing
Interest
The captain recognized and pointed
out to the Others some old acquaintance
Of the fish shop, but alive and at home
they presented very different appear
ance from the limp, unpleasant looking
masses of fabbiness which are vended
from a marble slab at so much pound
Dolly commented with some SURPRISE
on the fact that the fish did not seem to
be in the least shy, as she had naturally
expected that they would, and it was
certainly a curious sight to see them
come focking up from all parts of the
distance, and then, posing themselves
motionless near the sinking vessel, look
at her with solemn, unwinkng eyes.
Dolly declared that they made her feel
creepy
Still the sea poured into the tanks
and the ketch went down, down, down.
The pale green light darkened with ev-
cry fathom and became first a weird
wintry looking twilight, such as one
sees through the deeper blues of a
church window ON dark November
day Then the gloom grew blacker, and
finally came the inky darkness of night
DR.. Trng scraped a match and APP
piled it TO jet behind his head. 1t lit
with pale blue flame. Then he turned
snother stopcock and after prelimi-
nary swishing noise thin pencil Of
flame directed itself on to small cyl
Under Of lime. which presently began to
glow Whitley Then he closed the case
in which the apparatus was held. ad-
iusted lens and removed cap. A
brilliant beam of light streamed forth
into the murky waters.
THAT, said the doctor, 'is use to
which an ordinary oxyhydrogen magic
lantern has seldom been put. Electricity
might have been better perhaps, but l
could not hit upon method of produc-
ing il satisfactorily But, thanks to
modern commercial enterprise, which
supplies oxygen and hydrogen power
fully condensed in light steel cyin-
ders, this form Of illumination serves
our purposes very well. y
How deep are we now, doctorr
Dolly asked.
The doctor pointed to n thing like a
steam gauge with the dial marked off in
fathoms The index had touched GA
and it was still falling. We've a lot
farther to go yet before we fetch up, !"
he answered.
The air feels queer" remarked
Guthrie
That, replied the doctor, sis be-
cause 1t is becoming gradually com
pressed. As the water Sallast flows into
our tanks so the air Which filled them
before is pushed ont and sends up the
pressure throughout the rest Of the YES
sci l might have let it escape over
board bat breathable oxygen is valu-
able, and | preferred to store it. There
are eight of us on board, and, reckon
ing the consumption per head nj Is
gallons per hour, we shall have enough
to last MS for pa hours easily, and more
at pinch. "
'What about the carbonic acid?'
asked Guthrie.
"Those fiat tins which you helped
me to lay about the hold, are meant to
deal with that, " replied the doctor
carbon dioxide is heavy, You know,
and will naturally seek the lowest levels
of the vessel. The tins are filled with
strong caustic potash solution, and will
require nothing more than an occasion
al shaking up to make them mop up the
excess of carbon dioxide. "
'But won t the oxygen in the air be
come unduly diluted, and consequently
difficult to breathe, before long, even il
the carbonic acid is removed ?"
1--WE provided for that too. ] shall
let out fresh supply of oxygen from
the cylinders. But oxygen is expensive
and the number of cylinders is limited
So as soon as breathing becomes at al
difficult, | shall take the Eureka up tC
the surface again and get my supply Of
wind fresh Som there,
''But, put in Dolly, wouldn't il
be better to stay down as long as W.
possibly can and finish the thing in on,
dive? Surely you would be able to gel
as many pillar dollars on board in q
hours as we shall want
II dare say it would be possible, Dol
ly," replied the doctor, with a leathery
smile, "if we could only pitch upon the
exact spot where they lie The awk
ward part of it is, we don't precisel
know where they are. You see TIT
galleon may not have foundered per
pendicuarly. She may have been car
ried along ever SO far by submarine
current
''Then the Eureka would he treated