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


proximate than accurate. We improve
as years go on, however, and l have ev-
cry reason to think that the galleon's
position was known as nearly as modern
science could work it, But you must
remember that Nicholas | lived in much
more rough and ready days. and though
he made landfall directly after sinking
the Santa Catarina. and could check his
observations, they cant be expected to
be within a mile or mile and a half Of
the truth. What we shall have to do is
to quarter the sea floor systematically,
showing the craft along as fast as the
screw will make her move, and search
ing the waters on either side of our
course as far as this oxyhydrogen light
will show through them
"1Ia, close to bottom nowl Look ut
the manometer Only ten fathoms
more, if the soundings are correct
Colepepper, will you and Guthrie go
off and bear hand at the crank? Min
utes are precious. l want her under
weigh AS soon as the bottom is in sight
Dolly, You stay with me. Your eyes are
better than mine, and we must have a
sharp lookout.
Captain Colepepper hurried off to the
part of the hold in which the crank APP
paratus was situated, and Guthrie with
him. and before a minute had passed
the hand driven screw was revolving
and the Eureka had begun her search
But this search, which Miss Colepep-
per had thought would be matter of
a few hours, dragged itself on through
many weary days of the most irksome
toll, and there was yet no sign of the
foundered galeon.
For the steersnan and the lookout in
the coming tower there was always the
excitement which came from the posi-
bility that the next sweep of the search
light might reveal the longed for heap
of wreCkage, but for the workers down
in the stuffy hold there was nothing but
the dullest of monotony-pusha and pull,
push and pull. day after day. at the
arrangement Of cranks and levers which
turned the screw Those same cranks
and levers no doubt reflected credit on
DR. Things inventive ingenuity, but
after the first hour Of acquaintance
with them the members of the Eureka s
crew began to lose interest in them and
in the end came almost to hate them.
1t is said that the strangest thing
diver finds when he first takes TO max
:cG descents below the sea s surface is
The absolute silence amid which he
moves The workers in the Eureka were
saved from this experience Speech was
~ Al.
| days at least they chatted a good deal
as they worked, but in time the numb
ing grip of deadly monotony took hold
of them and seemed to choke their in
tellects, so that it became their habit to
go through with the loathed toll in
silence
The place where they did this work.
facetiously called the 'engine room.
was situated little abaft 'midships
and lay Immediately above the keelson
1t was dark, for the supply of condensed
gases for the oxyhydrogen light was
limited. and, as DR.. Tring pointed out,
one does not need light to push and
! pull at crank which cannot get out
of position, Moreover. it WAS the stuff
|
consent, the most Objectionable. Save
for the lookout and steersman in the
coming tower, all hands were in this
engine room when the Eureka was I'M
der weigh beneath the surface. though
even when the six of them were work
ing their hardest her pace was desper-
ately slow.
nj | ha
the surface had been almost valueess,
here fell into the knack at once and
professed himself quite contented with
his occupation. 1t was mcnotonous, and
he liked monotony, and there was nc
brain effort required The rest toiled
because they had to, and tried to keep
their spirits up by remembering the
golden end which their hopes told them
was coming to the weary labor.
1t was not the first spell which came
so unkindly. The conditions of work
ing were such that even that was, OF
course not pleasant, But then no one
expected it to last for long, and so al
endured it cheerfully. But when il
came to be day after day and day after
day and when the days heightened out
to weary weeks. the loathing with which
they approached the endless toll became
so great that even stolid Cain Lavershf
began to grumble. and when he lifted
up his voice in complaint the case wa'
bad indeed
4 The work, however was not withou
the occasional excitement Of unexpected
peril Once, when the Eureka was ris
ing to the surface, but still far down il
the abyssmal depths, something jammeC
, in one Of the pumps Tom jelly an'
+ Hans Spiedernichel who had gone f
man the forward pump, came tumblini
aft again with horror written on thei
, fla 'es and announced what had &C
CURED. The fear of death came upol
every one of the listeners. Even Cali
Laversha, whom nothing mp to tina
point had moved into any expression
either Of pleasure or Of pain, dropped
his ham colored face into the hollow
of his hands and groaned aloud
"Zusan Pierce" he moaned, "Zusal
Pierce, ! be lost to zee. an the warm al
goes to Abel. This be tarrible end
tarrible. / wear shall ha mt 'ee, Zusal
Pierce l bain't able to die quiet lik
thikky.
Hold your din, you great fool - sal
DR., Tring angrily on hearing the tai
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