The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-25
THRILLING ADVENTURES OF
AN OLD DEEP SEA DIVFp

i've been in some mighty ticklish
places. said Moses Stesrns. the veteran
Boston diver, a few days ago, "and I
thoroughly understand what it is to
have cold chills coursing up and down
my spine. making my teeth chatter a
thousand times a minute and my knees
knock together like a pair of drum
sticks.
st have been a diver since the war of
the rebellion, during which unpleasant
ness served on the little Monitor as a
ouartermaster, took an active part in
the fight with the Merrimac, and was
wounded. I was the government diver
at the CharleStown navy yard num-
Der OF years, previous to which time.
and since, have operated along the
American Atlantic seaboard and on the
northeastern coast of South America.
During my experiences I have
brought to the surface over 1 500 bodies
from wrecks and from ponds and
rivers.
was I ever frightened?
Eyes, I have been badly scared sew
eral times. My first real fright was
off the island of Demerara, in the Car
ibbean sea- I was employed to raise
ed for four weeks on the job. When
called upon to accept the work was a
trife 10th, for I was aware that those
waters were infested with sharks and
other large and dangerous fish, but be-
ing assured they would not modest me.
and my exehequer being very low, I
agreed to do the work and started in.
Downing my armOr one bright morn
ing I got over the side of the boat, and
after admonishing my attendants to
pull me up as fast as strength would
permit if they received a danger sig
nal, began TO descend 7 had scarcely
gone twenty-five feet when saw a
monstrous man-eating shark within a
hundred feet Of me.
ugh, how felt Precipitation broke
out all over me and grew weak. I was
at a loss to know what to do. If I went
up he might seize me by the legs and
carry them off, and I had. no desire to
part with such faithful servants. The
old shark was laying to- calmly watch
ing me and apparently wondering what
kind of a fish I was. He appeared to
be IN a thoughtful mood. and no doubt
was specializing as to whether he had
ever seen me before. Now, I had no
ambition to become acquainted with his
sharkship. I did not like the way he
with him about it.
Il thought Of the air pipe and slender
rope that. supported me and wondered
whether the monster would tackle me
or the lines, either meaning death. 7
imagined there was another shark be-
hind me, for was fear stricken, but I
did not dare to take my eyes from
the hideous fish.
Fear is the most paralyzing of all
emotions and was the very Smbcdi-
ment Of that emotion. I was in sus-
pense for at least three minutes, dur
ing which time I passed through an
eternity of terror. We speak lightly
| Of death, but you can gamble your last
SOU that when we meet it, it is a
/ serious thing.
THE great fish seemed to have de-
| termined upon something. He began
/ TO fan his fins gently. Ny time has
| come 1 said, mentally. Raising his
| head, he started forward like a flash.
1 nerved myself for the shock, but il
was not at me he was aiming. It was
at one Of the large air giobules that
} rise from the vent in the top of the
/ helmet. He swallowed it at one gulp,
( then stepped. In moment he began
, to make involuntary offerings to old
! Father Neptune. for the bubble was
| an eanetic TO him He seemed to be
! satisfied with his lunch of compound
! oxygen and hydrogen, for he swan
hurriedly away.