Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-10-02
AT THE
BOTTOM OF
THE SEA
By GORDON ARTHERToN
d by Short story Pub. Coz

steamship tlSllOT Suhh VII hcOA
off the southern coast Of Florida
with all on board, Half of the
passengers were saved by efforts d.
rected from land, and the bodies of
half the remainder were found. But
one-fourth of the people of the Visitor
lay, undiscovered and unburled, in the
waters Of the Gulf.
A few days later divers were sent
down with view Of raising the steam
ship If she were found to be in good
enough condition. Among these divers
was one Joel Vaughton, hardy, worn
veteran with scars Of the Civil war on
his body and the signs of toll and
hardship on his rough, honest face.
Vaughton was forty-hve-posslbly a
bit over. He did not know, but he
remembered enllsting in '6S as sixteen
years of age. He had not brilliantly
distinguished himself In the war-as
so many luckler ones had, but he had
fought hard and well. No opportuni-
ties had been given him Of leading a
desperate charge or Of capturing an
enemy's flag. He had been twice
wounded, at Bull Run and at Gettys-
burg. The surgeons had decided the
last time that he was to die. and they
had given him up. But he had deter
mined to live, and live he did. He was
discharged from the hospital just In
time to join Sherman In his march to
the sea. After the war he drifted
around doing nothing, and yet doing
everything. There was no occupation
that he did not try his hand at, and
there was none that he tried longer
than a week. Finally he drifted SOUTH
and In 'S2 started farming on a small
scale. This evidently proved the ex-
ception to the rule. and he stuck to 1t
for seven years, making a modest In
come thereby. But 1t was teo mo-
notonous for him. He lacked the ex-
element which hitherto had never
failed him, and In 80 he discovered
the work that suited him. He became
diver. He was well fitted for 1t
physically. with his sound heart and
his good lungs, and he made a success
OF II almost Immediately.
Three days after the Visitor had
sunk. Joel Vaughton and one Of his
comrades were fitted into their suits
and lowered down to the wreck.
Vaughton had long ago got over the
singing in his ears and the sickness
that is first incurred by divers, and he
was steady as a rock when he was low
cred cautiously on his rope. Looking
down he saw the deck Of the Visitor
looming up beneath him. Already 1t
was covered with weeds and green with
slime AS his feet touched the boards
he gave the signal to stop lowering,
and, slowly and cautiously, made his
way to the forward hatchway, taking
care to lay his rope and supply-plpe
In such fashion that they might not
become entangled In the stray wreck
age. Of which there was a great guam
tity.
His inspection of the forward part
Of the ship showed him that 1t was in
no condition to be raised. The bow
had been shattered by the contact with
the reef, and the grinding had worn
away the entire plankings of the for
ward decks. He returned slowly to
the stern of the vessel and climbed
over the remains of the rail down on
to the sandy bottom. Then he walked
along the stern Of the ship, keeping a
sharp lookout for any damage done
in that direction.
AS he did 30 he beheld a sight that,
cool veteran as he was, caused him
to utter cry and to step quickly
backwards. Staring at him through
the portfolio, his face livld and sunken,
his eyes bloOdshot, but cleaning with
excitement, his hair matted over his
forehead and his lips moving in what
must have been outcries or entreaties,
was a living, breathing man. Waugh
ton, at first, thought that his senses
had left him, and he turned away to
see II the apparition would have gone
when he next looked around. But no
the pale, excited face was still there.
and this time the hand was beckonlng
wildly to him and the eyes supplement
Ing the movements. Then, as soon as
he realized that he had attracted
VaughtOn's attention, the man dlsap-
peared, only to show himself again
with sheet Of paper covered with
writing. This he held up against the
portfolio, motlonlng Vaughton to ap
proach and read 1t. II ran as follows:
HELPiIi
When the ship sank I went down
with IT. locked up In this water
tight compartment. Have had
hardly anything TO eat. and the
air Is giving out. ] cannot last
an hour more. II you open the
door. however. I shall be destroyed
by the water which will rush In.
FOR PHYS SAKE, HELP ME
SOME wAYii
I AM STARVING FOR FOOD
AND AIR
The words were written In fairly
leglble hand and Vaughton had no
trouble in making them out. But the
question was, what to do. How should
he save this mann There seemed to be
no means OF doing 1t, unless the entire
ship we're raised, and this, as he had
seen by his inspection, was impossible.
Then, suddenly, another plan flashed
through his braln--a plan that was,
really the first thing that should have
occurred to him. Why couldn't the
man trust to his chances Of reaching
the surface before his breath gave out2
lie. himself. could take down rope
and tie II around his body while the