Year: 1860




whatever, and this is the ex-
Perlence of other divers. His theory is
that where the body is unprotected, the
water which is admitted into the sys
tenn through the numberless pores, counter
acts the pressure Of the water from with
out, and the two equalizing each other, the
body does not feel the weight. When wa
ter proof armor is worn, the body has to
support tons of pressure; at thirty feet be-
low the surface it would be ten tons.


The armor employed by divers is usual
ly composed of a metallic head piece for the
protection of the head and a rubber suit
for the rest of the body, made large enough
to admit the three suits of woolen clothing,
requisite to maintain the warmth of the
body. Attached to this suit are two tubes,
signal line, and head line, by which
the diver is drawn up. One of the tubes
connects with the surface, and through it
fresh air is forced to the driver, by means
of an air-pump. The other tube is for
the escape of the foul air expelled from
the lungs, and is furnished with a valve
which Immediately closes if the water
rushes into it. The supply tube also con-
tains a valve which in case of leakage in
stantly closes and prevents the air from
passing out. Many divers have lost their
Ives by not having these valves on the air
tubes. To sink the diver, weights are at
tached to the feet and waist 1t is neces-
sary that divers should be careful about
eating before making descent. Going
down directly after hearty meal, rendered
Mr.. Green a cripple for life. They should
also descend slowly The sensations ex-
perienced by the diver are thus described:


'On this bank the coral presented to
the diver one Of the most beautiful and
sublime scenes the eye ever beheld The
water varies from ten to one hundred feet
in depth, and SO clear that the diver can
see from two to three hundred feet, when
submerged, with little obstruction to the
sight. The bottom of the ocean in many
places on these banks is as smooth as a
marble floor; in others it is studded with
coral columns, from ten to one hundred feet
in height, and from one to eight feet in
diameter, the tops Of those most lofty sup
porting myriads of pyramidal pendants, each
forming myriad more, giving reality to the
Imaginary abode of some water nymph.-
In other places, the pendants form arch af-
ter arch, and as the diver stands on the
bottom of the ocean, and gazes through
those lofty winding avenues he feels that
they fill him with as sacred an awe as if he
were in some old Cathedral, which had long
been buried beneath old ocean's,' wave
Here aud there the coral extends even to
the surface of the water, as if those lottier
columns were towers belonging to those state
ly temples now in ruins.


There were countless varieties of dimin-
tive trees, shrubs, and plants in every
crevice Of the coral, where water has deposi-
ted the last earth. They were all of a
faint hue, owing to the pale light they re-
ceived, although of every shade and entire
ly different from the plants am familiar
with, that vegetate on dry land. One
in particular attracted my attention tires
cmbled a sea-fan of immense size, of var
iegated colors, and of the most brilliant
hue.


The fish which inhabitthose Silver Banks,
| found as different in kind as the scenery
was varied They were Of all forms, col
ors, and sizes, from the symmetrical goby, to
the globe like sun-fsh from those Of the
dullest hue, to the changeable dolphin;
from the spots of the leopard, to the hues
of the sunbeam from the harmless min
now, to the yoracious shark. Some had
heads like squirrels, others like cats, and
dogs; one Of small size resembled a bull
terrier. Some with short blunt noses, 9th
ers with bills protruding feet beyond their
heads. Some darted through the water
like meteors, while others could scarcely
be seen to move.


The sun-fsh, saw-fsh, star-fsh, dolphin,
white shark, ground shark, blue or shovel
nose sharks, were often seen. There were
also fish which resembled plants, and re-
mained as fixed in their position as shrub.
The only power they possessed was to open
and shut when in danger. Some OF them
resembled the rose in full bloom, and of all
hues. There were ribbon fish, from four
or five inches to three feet in length
Their eyes are very large and protrude like
those of the frog. Another fish was spot
ted like the leopard, from three to ten feet
long. They build houses like the beaver,
in which they spawn, and the male and fe-
male watches the oya until it matches. L
saw many specimens of the green turtle,
some four or FIVE hundred pounds In div
ing here we are often surrounded by sharks.
They would swim cautiously towards me as
if to ascertain what was, and [ found it
necessary to wear hoops of iron, for just
the opposite purpose of that for which la
dies wear them at the present time. 1t
was to protect me from the sharks, not at
tract them.


These hoops were only necessary when
ascending or descending, as no danger was
apprehended from them except while IN
motion Tho shovel nose shark IS q most