Year: 1864

A correspondent of the Baltimore American,
writing from off Morris Island, says:


During a recent visit to Port Royal. wit
messed with considerable interest the operations
of the divers employed to clean the bottoms of
the Monitors, and perform other operations
under the water. Their principal diver-ap
propriately named Waers-is so used TO this
work that be has become almost amphibiOus,
remaining for FIVE or six hours at a time under
water 4 man Of Hercuean strength and
proportions when clad in his submarine armor
be becomes monstrous in size and appearance
A more singular sight than TO see him roll or
tumble into be water and disappear from sight
or popping up, blowing, as the air escapes from
his helmet like young whale can scarcely be
imagined. Waters has his own ideas of a joke
and, when he has curious audience, will wave
his scraper about as he hobs around" Oh the
water with the air of veritable river god
One of his best jokes (the better for being
veritabe factl occurred last summer While
he was employed scrapiDg the hull of one of the
Monitors negro from one of the uprlver
plantations came alongside with bOatload of
watermelons. While busy selling his melons,
the diver came up and rested himself on the
side of the boat. The negro stared at the eX
traordinary appearance thus suddenly coming
ont of the water with alarmed wonder but,
when the diver seized one of the best melons IN
the boat and disappeared under the water, the
gurglng of the air from the helmet mixing
with his muffled laughter, the fright of the
negro reached a climax. Hastily seizng his
oars without being paid for his melons, be put
off at his best speed, and has not been seen in
the vicinity of Station creek since. He cannot
be tempted beyond the bounds of the plantation,
and believes that the Yankees have brought
river devils TO aid them in making war.


The diver, when clothed with his armor, is
weighted with one hundred and eghty-fve
pounds. Besides his armor, be has two eaden
pads, fitting to his breast and back. The soles
Of his shoes are OF lead an inch and half thick.
All this weight is needed TO overcome the
buoyancy given by the mass Of air forced into
the armor and dress-the latter OF India rubber
worn by the diver When below the surface,
be can instantly bring himself up by closing
mOmentarily the aperture in the helmet for the
escape Of the air. His buoyancy is Immediately
increased, and he pops up like cork and floats
at will upon the surface. The work of scrapiDg
the bottoms OF the Monitors is very arduous.
The diver sits upon spar, lashed athwart the
bottom of the vessel, so arranged as to be
moved as the work progresses, and with
scraper fixed 10 a long handle works on both
sides of himself as far as he can reach. The
mass of oysters that become attached to the
iron hus of ole of the Monitors, even during
one summer here, is immense. BY actual meas
urement, it was estimated that two hundred
aud fifty bushels of oysters. shells aud seaweed
were taken from the bottom of the Montauk
alone. The captains of the Monitors have
sometimes INDUCED in the novelty of a mess of
oysters raised on the hulls Of their own vessels


Besides cleaning the Monitors, the divers
perform other important services. They have
ransacked the interior of the keokuk. attached
buoys to lost anchors, and made under water
examinations of the rebel distractions. Waters
recently examined the suuken Weehawken, aud
met an unusual danger for even bis perilous
calling The sea was so violent that be was
twice thrown from the deck of the Monitor
Finally, getting hold of the iron ladder, he
climbed 10 the top Of the turret, when heavy
sea cast him inside of the turret between the
guns Fearing that his air-hose would become
entang,ed, be made his way out with all possible
speed, and was forced to give up his inyesiga-
tions until calmer weather offered a more
favorable opportunity.