Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-02-02


was any nearer TO me than the three
mile depth over which l had just
sailed and l 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. a mystery Of the sea which foI
nearly a century and u half had BAT.
fed all investigation. The fact
seemed 50 wonderful that for some
time l sat there letting it soak in
where my mind could grasp it.
According to Halstead's figures, my
my position was then about twelve
thirty-thrce, north 10y one-forty-four,
twenty-five. east. The figures in Fray
Iguacio's document had been u de
grees so minutes 80 seconds north by
III degrees % minutes no seconds
east. So the approximate position OF
the wreck was one mile farther east,
and TWO and half miles to the
s'uth'ard, from where was. From the
drag of my lead on bottom, calculated
the headway to be about six miles an
hour, and steered due south for twenty
minutes; then | headed east until ii
seemed as though the proa had gone
an even mile. and was just about TO
stow away the sail. when the lead-line
flashed over the side like lightning. as
if a shark were making off with It.
Bat upon graspirg the coil | found
only The natural resistance OF its own
-.r. 7 ho ~
the weather side of the ledge. paid
out the whole thirty fathoms, but the
pull was as strong as ever. Then, TAX
ing the linen line from the chest, bent
it on to the other and kept paying out
for several minutes; but no bottom.
Being afraid to lose it, ! began hauling
N. measuring on the gunwale as did
so, and found that it had gone down
over nine hundred feet. Well, when q
man is alone in mid-ocean, on nothing
but 4 few sticks, and finds himself over
an unfathOmable abyss, the sensation
is something like that of worms crawl
ing around in his gizzard-a sJrt OF
ticklish 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 il struck bottom and
dragged. Then I 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 an
orange, took n few swallows of wine.
and fished out the diving-suit.
I remember once, when a boy of IS
being invited to n very swell ball at
which I expected to meet a girl who
had produced a strong impression
upon me, and spending, in consequence
nearly two hours over my toilet before
l was satisfied with it. But that
wasn't q circumstance to the care with
which l got into that diving suit,
though the time consumed was ap
preciably less. The recollection of my
sensations when first trying il on gave
me feeling of apprehensiveness
which it was impossible to shake off
I pumped air into the knapsack until
it wouldn't stand another inch. l eX-
amined every riveT and clamp, every
seam and strengthening hoop, before
putting it on. But at last l was COM
pletely bottled up, with the sole ex-
ception of the lens in front of my face.
This I left open to get another bite of
orange and at least half the bottle of
wine, realizing that no matter how
much I might want either, under wa
ter, they would be simply out Of the
question.
Then 1 screwed on the lens, opened
the valve from the knaPsack, and start
ed to step over the gunwale; but my
feet seemed glued fast; l had for
gotten that the leaden soles of my
shoes weighed 16 pounds each, and
that there were weights attached to
my shoulders and belt as well. They
got themselves over at last, however,
and, letting the line slip through my
hand, l sank rapidly 10 the bottom.
At first the sensation was similar to
diving, naked, in deep water. There
was the same bubbling numbness in
the ears, the impression of light, faint
ly penetrating through an opaque
green substance, and grotesque shad-
owy objects which caught at the feet
and made it difficult to step. The alb
sence of buoyant feeling was strange
and very uncomfortable. Had 1t not
been for Halstead's precaution in max
ing me try the suit on, 1 might easily
have lost my head during the first fve
minutes. There was rushing of air
from the knapsack which made me
gasp for breath, and the continual
pop-pop-poppopping of air-bubbles
from the top of the copper helmet
filled me with a horrible dread that
the water was pressing IL upon me
through some unsupported leak In the
armor.
Presently, however, 1t seemed evi-
dent that I was neither drowning nor
suffocating yet, and I tried TO look
about me. Everything had the shad-
owy appearance that objects Will take
on In a room from which the sunlight
has been excluded by window.shades
"a sort of cool twilight. But as my
eyes became accustomed to 1t, and as
confidence began to return, could
see more distinctly. Ny body was pro
tected by copper hoops which allowed
me to breathe in comparative free
dom, but my limbs felt as though the
sleeves and breeches were IA sizes too
tight and were likely to split when
ever they moved.
AS nearly as one might calculate, the
range Of sight extended ina radius of
about so feet-though at that distance
objects had merely the appearance OF
blurred masses-and in few moments
I commenced making my way along
the reef to the s'uth'ard, keeping as
near the easterly edge as dared, but
being careful to plant each foot firm
ly before taking a step. 1t must have
been instinct which led me down the
reef instead Of UP, for when l had
walked a couple Of hundred yards
stumbled against a dark mass which
seemed to be an abrupt rise in the
shoal The side toward me was so
steep that I WAS afraid to climb IT, so
I walked carefully around, wondering
at its odd overhangine formation at
the westerly end. At the southerly
side it sloped away in gentle declit-
Ity, which l mounted with ease.
The rock must have been at least Is
feet higher than the surrounding
edge, for I could see the sun through
the water overhead. 1t was longest
from east to west, and In the middle
was a small projection as high as my
shoulders. II was this which sent d
conviction through me that
I had found the wreck at last, and l
eagerly searched for another projec-
ton at the westerly end. After tax