Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-08-31
THE MYSTERIES OF
THE OCEAN BED

In the fields of sub-aqueous ex
ploration special distinction has been
won by young naval engineer
named De Plury, who, by the aid of
an apparatus Of his own invention,
succeeded in reaching depth of
even more than 336 feet-a depth
which had never before beeu attained
DePiury has invented a kind of
metal armor which affords him every
protection, while by means of a
special chemical combination, re-
spiration is automatically provided
for. He has already made over lis
most daring descents with perfect
safety. lie has thus been able to DIS
cover most marvellous world,
hitherto seen by no eye but his; the
sea bed is scene of maryels COM
bined with no small amount of
tragic horrors.
"Tne first sensation experienced, :"
said this intrepid diver at a recent
interview with an Italian journalist,
sis something like that which is felt
on descending into mine, but You
soon get accustomed to it. At a
depth of about nine feet medusa be-
gan to be found in large quantities.
Seen through the water, everything
appears magnified, and they are ap.
parently of enormous proportions.
All recollection of the protection af-
forded by the glass front of the he'll
met is forgotten, and the first i'm
preston lie that these masses of hor-
rid fiaccid and slimy meduse will
adhere to your face.
"Just little lower down, and a
scintillating multitudinous shoal of
small fishes is encountered, simmer
ing like SO many strips of shining
copper, or other metal, in state of
continuous vibration.
''At depth of about I62 feet
thick masses of sesweed are traversed;
some of these are hair-like vegetable
growths, with arms from 90 to 80
yards in length, which, with kind
of horrrid vitality, wrap themselves
round every part of the body. These
alga constitute grave danger, as
they can easily paralyze the divers
movements and, by rising up above
and around him. can weigh him
down with weight amounting to
several Observation-Disclosures to
break a rope or lifeline when hauled
on. Below 1s2 feet there are small
snake-lixe fishes of about three feet
in length, and also other denizens of
the deep resembling dolphins. These
latter hurl themselves violently
against the diver. If, as already re-
he is somewhat young at
the game, and has forgotten the pro-
lection afforded by bis helmet, he is
still filled with mortal dread lest
they should succeed in smashing the
glass front of the helmet despite its
four inches of thickness. Of course,
should that occur, death would be
almost instantaneous.
"Still other and worse monsters
are the polypi or devil fish, who
wrap their Shiny tentacles round the
bold explorer; but although repug-
nant, these monsters are cowardly.
and immediately renounce their at
tack on coming in contact with the
unfamiliar feel of the metal armor-
plating of my diving dress. There
are also equally horrible, and much
more intrepid, giant crabs. Some
of those have seen have measured
as much as three feet in diameter.
Due to their strong shells and for
midable claws, they constitute a con-
tinual menace to the safety of the
diver. This is about all that can be
said on the score of the deep-sea
fauna. The reformation of fab is
not very noticeable at such a small