The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-05
EXPERIENCES OF A DIVER.
Two narrow Escapes From Death b
Boston Veteran.


Bortcn Veteran
tFrom the Boston JcurnsI)
I've been in some mighty ticklish
places" said Noses Stearns. the vste-ln
BcztCr diver. and thc-oughiy under
stand Whist IL Is 10 have cod chilis cou-s-
ing up md down my spine. making nag
teeth chatter a thousand times minute
and my knees knock together like pair
% Grumsticss.
Il have been a diver since the var OF
jhe rebellion. during which war I served
o. the little Monitor as a qUaTJeT-1aster,
took au art-.e part in the HghJ with the
5-erriUac and was wounded. | was the
Government diver at the CharlesJ town
Navy Yard a nuriber Of years
During my experiences / have brought
20 the surface over i,5oe bodies <rO1l
wrecks and from pouds and rivers.
Was I ever frightened Yes J have
been baGig scared several times Ny first
real lright was OF the Island OF DemeraTa.
su the Caribbean sea / was employed 10
raise the cargo Of q suuken vessel When
called upon TO accept the work ! was a
gritie ICath for I was aware that those
waters were full of sharks and ether large
and dangerous FISH. but. beng assured that
Trey WOuid not MODEST ne, + agreed and
started In.
TWO Y W
Putting On my armor I got over the
side OF the boat and. after telling ms
attendants 10 pull me Up as fast IS
strength would permit IL they received
danger signal. I began to descend. I
had scarcely gone twenty-five feet when
I sa,. a mOlstrCUs man eat ne shark within
e hundred feet of me
Ugh. how ! felt Perspir2JiOa broke
ont al over re and I grew weak. I was
at a loss TO know what 10 do II I went
up he might seize ne by the LEGS and
carry them OF and / had no desire TO
part With such faithful servants The old
shark was lying 20, calmly watching me
and apparently wondering what kind OF
4 hsl I was. lie appeared to be in a
thOUshtful mood. au6 10 doubt was won
dering whether he had ever seen me be-
fors- Now I had no ambition TO become
acquainted with his sharkship. did not
like TIE way he regarded me, but ! Lidn't
raise fuss with him about it.
4 thought Of the air-pipe and slender
rCFe that supported ne and wondered
whether the monster would tackle me or
the lines. either meaning death. | i'm
agiCsd there was another shark behind
ne, Tor I was fs9r-stricken. but did not
dare 20 take my eyes from the hideOus
FISH
Fear is the most paralyziag CT all emo-
tons and / WAS the very embodiment Of
that emotion I WSs in suspense Tor at
least three minutes during which time I
passed through an eternity Of terror. We
speak lightly Of dsata, but when We meet
IL il Is a Serious tairg.
TIE GEeSt fish seemed TO have deter
mined upon something re began 10 fan
his fms gently Ny tine has cone I
said mentally. Raising his heal he start
cd forward like a fiash. l uerved myself
for Tire shock. but il IVES Rot at ne e
vas aiming It was at ere of the lar e
a7- -frr ~ 10 -fca bsa m
helmet. Pc swallowed it at enc sc p.
then STOPPED Ia q moment he began TO
make involuntary offerings 10 old Fataer
Neptune. fer TIE bubble was al enetie
10 hir. He seemed to Re SATISFIED with
his lunch Of compound oxygen and hydre-
gen. for Re SWAN hUrriedly a=-ay.
Il he'd another close caH Al the Charles
town Navy Nsrc in 1874. For twenty years
or more the old Chic wss TIE receiving
snip there sri became so rCytea that su-
other snip BAD 70 be substituted .tta
United states fTiEltc Wabash. She s
mccrsd . lev hundred yards from the yard
whSrves right at the C-ndUenca e e G
Mystic ara charles Rivers Her mo1-i1ss
consist CT Eve large lion cables. stitched
10 s-chcTs sunk in the bed OF TIE river.
Wei, vixen the Ohio Has removed. I went
down eri slipped the chains. and when
the WABASH vas 70 be placed in D-sitlol
/ was engaged 10 90 the work.
4 stared in very saCces sfully and on
tl= first Cay made fast two cables on
the shore side OF the ship. The nex-
dry / began work on the ether side
= nc tide IUGs very rapidly there. say
about six knots an hour. ard from ne
meeting CT the waters of both rivers
a perfect maze OF whiTlpools AID eddies
is formed They gave me a great deal
OF extra labor and lot Of trouble. II
was almost Impossible although carry
ing extra weight TO retain my hold Oh
the bed of the river. While making 4
cable fast I was whirled around it sew
eral times ard made so fast tnat
could not extricat myself I tried every
inears-I could devise. but there was no
way Ogt Of it.
Il was about to give M all hone and
resign myself to death when I hit upon
a plan. a dangerous one. bat l re-
solved to attempt IT, Reaching above
the chains. where the rope was clear
10 The boat. 1 took the line and cut it.
then l cut Il OH near the helmet The
upper line I fastened about my body There
MEN Kidney trouble pTeys upon
nj the minG, cissogs1ges and
AND lessons ambition; beauty.
VI vircr a-l rhea-f,4Tra-s con