The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-28
SPANISH DIVERS
CURIOUS TRIPS.
Most Daring man in the Service Tells
of his Adventures at the Bottom
Of the Sea.

Lisbon, April 2O.-A divers life is
puts on his helmet and steps off the
wooden stairs into the water until he
IS hauled up, dazed and painting for
breath, his life is stranger than any
tale of fiction ever told.
Fifteen years ago 1 entered the div
ing service in the Mediterranean, off
the coast of Spain, and for ten years
Owed at different points along the
banks of France, Corsica and Sardinia
The winds here are treacherous; for
eleven months of the year there is clear
sailing; then winds suddenly arise and
vessels are wrecked before they can
realize their danger. Many strange
things have happened in my career
Once gale caught the bark Turin,
coming from Rome to MarsefIles
around Corsica The Turin struck on
the rocks, just off the Island of Elba,
and went down Its cargo was sup
posed to be gold, locked up in strong
boxes and was sent down by a party
from Rome to get four tin chests,
bound at the corner with metal strips
and projected by an iron grating. To
the top was attached a curious antique
handle for lifting. This was the de-
scription furnished me.
The Turin had gone straight down,
apparently off the western coast of the
Island: but, though 1 searched and
searched the water, and made many
trips down, could not locate her. FL
nally found her over in the Gulf of
Genoa, nifty miles away. But the cases
were not in her. She lay in big hole
where the air and water pressure upon
diver were 20 pounds to the square
inch. The currents here were fierce and
fairly lifted me off my feet weighted
though / was with my suit; and though
I persisted in my search until sure that
the cases were not in her 1 knew how
useless 1t would be to search further
In the neighbOrhOOd for the lost cases
The finally n
The next year 1 was hired to 20 to
Nice and search for cargo of watches
that had sunk while on the way from
Genoa to Cadiz. The waters here were
calm, the depth not very great; and the
vessel lay undisturbed at the bottom
of the sea; so 1 anticipated a peaceful
time, not at all like the adventurous
trips of other days. What was my as
constituent, however, on descending. to
find, resting on the deck, three tin
chests bound with metal and encased
in an iron lattice work, and with a Gu
riOus handle for lifting. In an instant
j recognized them; they were the lost
treasure of Rome.
/ left the chests, until had explored
the vessel and sent up the cases OF
watches, not at all damaged by their
deep sea voyage; then signalling them
to lift, 1 sent up one of the heavy
chests after another until all were
raised. Then I sent up word for them
to lift me; and as soon as I was on
the surface explained to them about
the chests.
Well, If you will believe it, the own
ers Of the vessels claimed them; and
thought we would have to go to law
to get them out of their custody. FL
nally, however, the people from Rome
came and identified the contents as the
cases they had lost a year before, and
were allowed to depart with the treas
ure chests. The explanation was this
The Turin, on going down a year be-
fore, had struck upon a deep sea ledge
where she had rocked until she split
& Subsequent gales had carried her piece.
off into the Gulf of Genoa, while the
chests being caught in a deep sea cur
r rent. drifted over to the coast OF Nice
Tha highest price ever paid me wa