Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-07-12


the stream should stop. SC the men
employed their feet as hands, cropping
aucut for the treasCre-ooXeS.
The time passed thus until Thanks
giving day. Then the hopes Of the
rarity. who had ventured most of their
savings in the enterprise, were very
low. hut the divers were encased as
usual for their regular desoents. On
this morning one Of them remarked:
Boys. am going To touch tie coal
today If have to go my fail length
for il. We're needing something spe-
cal TO oe thankful for"
II was three hours before he signaled
to stop the pump. With their eXpec-
ta;ions roased by his unusual stay, the
others waited eagerly for signal 10
send down bag of such implements
as the diver might need 10 assist him
in raising box of treasure. A small,
fat boat. containing two men and
grapnels. ice-tcrgs ard such !npie-
inents. was always kept mooroG ove.'
the spot where TIE uiver was az work.
Soon tie hopes OF those above were
the diver was coming 10 :te surface.
The diver. hcwcver. had planned 81.
| nest agreeable disappointment. He
VINO tells ne this story remembers
te:rg struck by the fact that as the
diver assembled the ladder &c the side
az the launch, he used tut enc hand
10 assist himself When Re emerged,
y sfTn Il .t-.w on
Of his arms. and this ne handed ZIP to
those on beard.
The box. about a foot long. eight
inches in width and foEr il depth.
was carried over TO the Potter. opened.
and found 10 contain three thousand
five hundred dollars IN gold coin.
To Chain this box the diver had
been obliged 10 sink himself until the
TOP Of mis- head was just leyel with the
surface Of the sand. Facing some
thing hard beneath him. he worked it
about fer long time with his feet,
until finally. with the assistance OF
some hcohs he had carried down With
Linn. he had raised il 10 q point where
he could get his hand on Il. While
there he had SEM up several signals Of
assurance. which his tenders had
reve: received, no doubt because his
lifeline had been buried in the firm
sand which surrounded the ro!iy hole.
Great progress was now made. the
EeXi day, with the assistance OF crap
neis and bags. more treasure was
discovered. and then. day after day.
two. three. and even four boxes. con-
tanning various amounts. were eX-
trioated trcm the sand by the labor
OF beth divers. With each box they
had 20 mount slowly out of the hole
they had bored. and allow the sand
10 r.! in and harden behind them.
Elatcd with success. the divers. as
Was natural. relaxed their precautions
little. Until one Of them mad peril
ills adventure. Standing over the
wre, k. he was boring his excavation
with tie hcse and sinking rapidly
into tho sanl is usual.
JIst as h. got down TO his shoulders.
The bat: CT ne hose was Suddenly torn
from his grasp by the surf. AS he
sICpoa about on the sand expecting 10
Isl il. he rememberciwith shock that
before beginning operations he had
neglected tho customary precau;.on OF
attaching the hose 10 his hell by
lanyard. The whCle thing had been
washed far beyond his reach.
Almost instantly the sand. no longer
loosened by the stream of water. began
t. harden found him. and he realized
the fell horror OF his situation.
So quickly was he embedded that the
rse Of his arms was scon ios;: moth
Ing pro,rCde1 from the solid sand ex-
oept his kelaaeted head. hands and
wrists. With rs lifeline buried and
his arms Towo-less. he was unaa,c TO
make any signal for relief 10 those
above. WHO were quite unaware Of his
dreadful situation. Besides all this.
ewing 70 The disturbance created
around lin ~ the surf and the IN
deriow. re might as well have been
hi-nd tor all that he could see.
The pressure OF sand en- his chest
WAS SC severe that he began 10 lose
breath. and resigned himself 70 the
sE-NN'' aS''A--AhS GtdlH WHICH aD-
scared inevitable. Nearly exhausted
IL fc!t something touch one Of his
HANDS. /; was the hight Of the hose
which. n washing about over the hot
| tom. had struck against nina thing
not likely . happen once in a tnous-
and times
Gripping this with his hand. he
slowly edged ii along. Bit by BIT. IN
III finally 70 get hold Of the butt and
the nozzle itself. With great difficult
" he ;Crne! the stream Of water into
the sand. AMI freed first one arm. then
The o;heT. and gradually The whole
upper part CT his body.
Through TIE remainder of the day
he was Frustrated. hut he rluckiiy
vent back 70 the work the next day.
and from that time on there was no
lack Of p-eeaution on his part
A later incident. IN which the other
diver figured. indicates well 10 what a
degree the success of the expedition
was due to the pluck. persistence and
lard work Of the divers. In raising
che large box of treasure from the hole
in the sand, the tOngs by which he
held it slipped. and ripped the cover
entirely of the box while il was VET n
foot from the top Of the hole.
But by he greatest care and Mains