The diamond drill., 1921-02-12

captain for several days; then came
a note inviting us 20 a hunt on the
bottom OF the sea. We donned diving
suits. then fastened on sort Of KNAPP
sack which furnished us not only with
air 10 breathe. but with the light 10
see our way. We carried air-guns
which fired class bullets heavily charg-
ed with electricity. which had only to
touch the most powerful animal to kill
him. A connecting compartment filled
with water let us into the sea. And
thus equipped. wading on the bottom
of the clear ocean. we killed our game
with ease and without danger.
That hunt was hut the first OF the
wonders OF the cruise. Onward we
rushed. sometimes on the surface,
sometimes under the sea. There was
our fight with the immense devIl-fish
which once In huge school enmeshed
the Nautilus. There was the visit 20
wonderful pearl fishery. where Cap
tain Memo showed us a mollusc with
in whose jaws was a pearl weighing
perhaps 500 pounds. Some day he
would return and pluck that treasure,
but not yet-every year was adding to
Its value. We visited the skeletons OF
long-sunken ships, the corpses of the
drowned crew still clingIng 10 the hulls
OF some. We hunted in the Papuan
islands where the Nautilus was at
tackled by the native savages. An cleo
trio current turned them back shocked
and bowling ere they could climb
aboard.
When one OF the crew died Captain
Memo had him buried In a coral glade
In the South Pacific. where was
cross of red coral that looked like
petrified blood. II was a wonderful,
solemn sight To see the pall-bearers
with the dead body on their shoulders.
and all treading so reverentiaily the
way from the ship 60 the coral Gene
terry where az the foot OF the cross
the body was Inferred and covered up.
All knelt In prayer. Captain Memo
was the last to leave.
"Your dead sleep quietly out Of the
reach OF sharks" said when we were
back on the Nautilus.
"Of sharks and men," he replied.
We voyaged under colossal icebergs
TO the South Pole and all but perished
there. escaping from an Icy tomb only
as our last breath OF storage air was
exhausted. Wonderful was our passage
from the Red sea into the Mediter-
rapean by means OF subterranean
tunnel under the isthmus. tThis was
before the digging OF the Suez canal)
There we witnessed the transfer OF
million dollars worth OF gold ingots
from the Nautilus TO the vessel OF
Greek diver.
Whence came this store OF gold?
Later we learned.
In vigo bay. on the Spanish coast
the Nautilus came to rest on bottom.
Here In 1902 feet of Spanish gal
Icons were sunk, and here from this
sunken treasure more than century
and half later this ruler of the
underseas came and helped himself
whenever II pleased him. give nun
fred millions were there" said Cap
fain Memo. but not now. Do you
see now how with these and the other
treasures OF my domain / could pay
he national debt OF France and not
'eeI it?"
We had now beeh six months aboard
he Nautilus. For me, the scientist, IL
was voyage OF ceaseless interest;
)ut not so for Conseil and Ned Land.
At their request pleaded with Cap
ain Memo for our liberty.
you came 10 my ship without in
You will now remain here"
vas his grim answer.
We had left the southern hemi-
sphere and were in the waters off
france and the British islands when
We were pursued by an armed war
hip. Flying no colors. she attacked
II once. Her cannon shot rebounded
rom our iron hull.
Captain Memo. pointing TO her. said:
Il am the oppressed, and there Is my
,ppressor. Through him / have lost
country, wife. children. father and
mother. Why should / withhold my
Ithbtohttt
He called out his orders. The Nau-
Illus sank below the sea. We felt her
'ushing forward, felt the shock OF her
Iteel ram piercing the hull of the en-
my. Through the glass panels we
aw her doomed crew crowding the
atlines. clinging TO the rails. strug
ding In the sea. The Nautilus passed
m.
| saw captain Memo 20 TO his room
ind kneel before the portrait OF a
woman and two little children. How |
ong. o Lord. how longi" he cried out.
We steamed north. 10 that part OF |
he Norwegian coast where lies that |
Ireaded maeIstrom which draws into
tself all floating things. The Nautilus |
was II an accldent?-was drawn In |
o the whirlpool. Around and around
he whIrled. Even her steel hull felt |
he strain; we could hear bolts being |
,ulied out from her glrders. The