Year: 1869

for the sake of higher remuneration, peril |
Gus adventures are common enough. am |
not too presumptuous when | say | am as |
brave as most men, naturally, and my
sense of fear has been further blunted by
q constant companlonship with danger.
The adventure am about to narrato was
horrible enough to me when Twas prin-
ciple actor in il, and to this day an in
voluntary shudder of horror accompanies
the recollection Of IL,


Some years ago a large vessel laden with
mixed cargo was bound to New York
from South America. Striking sunken
reef off the dangerous shore of Florida,
she was wrecked and very few of the
passengers or seamen escaped. The owner,
who was also captain, was drowned. His
heirs lived In New York. 1t appears the
vessel had settled down in the ocean, hav-
ing escaped the attack Of any storm, so as
might be supposed her cargo would be
pretty well recoverable but II was a use.
less and foolish attempt to try TO get any
thing from her in lonely sea, and on a
dangerous coast. However, one of those
men whom nature has formed for the out
octhe-way modes of getting money in this
world, having obtained the consent of the
heirs in New York, fitted out n large yacht,
and promising money only ON condition
of success, was prompted to hazard the
spec-it agreed with my adventurous dis
position, and | signed articles and shipped
myself. After a deal of trouble we picked
up another diver, coarse, brutal, drunken
rascal, whose conduct, as hereafter seen,
will sufficiently justify these remarks
From the beginning had kind of antipa-
thy against the fellow, and shrank from
his society as from some loathsome reptile.
10 hut f,f n hul 10
pecring from under his heavy brows,
twinklcd with q satanic wickednoss, and
seemed to be looking all ways at once
and when he laughed, his satanic majesty
himself might have envied his ugly grin.
My employer Stunned him, and would
gladly have parted with him, but no other
could be got to engage in such foolhardy
scheme. ...


Having got the diving bell and other
apparatus on board, we at last set sail on
this novel pursuit of lucre. The voyage
was fine, and having nothing to do, EN-
joyed it very much, and was even soften
ing towards my fellow diver when we
reached that part of the coast of Florida
where the sunken wreck lay, and where
our fortunes were buried beneath the
waves.


We were considerable time in discov-
ering the wreck, but we found II at last far
down in the depths of the still blue sea,
where troops of sharks were pursuing
each other about and through it for
want of better prey. No pleasant sight, l
can assure you. My fellow diver gave
them fearful curse, and took an extra
long pull at his brandy flask AS for my
self the affair seemed more dangerous than
ever. The vessel would have to be moored
above bed of reefs and if a storm were
| to arise, i'll fate would catch us, for there
is little mercy to be expected for ship
from the cruel and jagged coral. However,
plucked up the very best heart, saying
to myself, MY dear fellow, the more dan.
| ger the more money" Jim Crow--that
was the divers name-gave utterance to a
nowise pleasant oath about having been
swindled, muttering at the end, but II
pay them off deuced sharp, or I'm not
concluding his sentence very suspiciously
which did not tend to increase my conf
dence respecting his intentions.


We pulled back to the ship, after placing
a buoy to mark the spot. The two next
days Jim Crow and | were busy Ill pre-
pairing our things for the attack on the
sunken wreck The tide of my thoughts
was checked by my work, but l still no.
ticed that Crow was in an evil mood.



was anchored. The bell was swung for the
plunge, and Crow and l went below and
dressed. My suspicious seemed now
on the increase, and my readers may
think that / was very fearful, but |
provided myself with a long and sharp
knife, which stuck unobserved down my
long leathern boot. Crow stuck one in
his belt, saying with a rather diabolical
laugh, 81 think it is better being prepared
for water sharks" and | almost think he
added "land sharks" This opened my
eyes little, and some rather curious spec
ulations fitted through my brain. He was
man to be feared, being hugely big and
strong, and wicked withal


With many such reflections / took my
place in the bell, and amidst the hurrahs
of the crew and the excitement of the
master we dipped into the sea. Common
life had passed away, and, to a novice, a
new world opens to his eyes beneath the
wave, and even to me the scene was
fresh. The coral reefs, like grand archi-
tectural structures, covered with weeds
and shells of the deep, Of every possible
variety of color; the fish, large and
small, darting about the water, and flying
at the approach of the bell as before the
sweep of the sharks, and even they
|
upon our approach. Down, down, down,
till the light was dim, and then we struck
| the wreck. Armed with crowbars, sharp
at one end TO repulse the sharks and other
monsters of the deep, we planted our feet
on the bell. Instantly we separated
Crow burst open the cabin door, and after
a while Joined him. BY this time he
was in the cabin, searching about.
watched him as well as | could all the
while. Thus we spent our first journey
and after lading our bell, gave the signal
and were hauled up on deck. The sailors
crowded round us, gloating over the vari.
Gus things we had brought up; they also
hauled on deck several things to which we
had attached ropes. Thus our first day
passed. All were exulting, and the sailors
cracked over the galley fire the possible
price of money to each, and the master
dreamt of princely independence.


Several days thus passed overi we had
broken into the cargo, and what we con
sidered of value and the sea had not dam.
aged, was hauled on deck, and the schooner
became pretty well laden. think il was
about the last day of working, as we were
down in the bell, that Crow again wended
his way towards the cabin BY this time
my suspicious regarding his evil intentions
were quieted, yet there still fingered about
him traces of obstinate sulkiness, so that
took very little notice of his operations
l busted myself about different things In
the hold of the vessel.


think about half an hour must have
passed by when l returned TO the bell, and
was startled by the cunning, wicked cast
of Crows countenance he was shutting
something beneath his divers clothes as
the last of it disappeared guessed it was
bag and the thought flashed across my
mind-a bag of money. l quietly asked
Crow what II was.


"Humph nothing. What have ye To
do,with itY" he growled.


My curiosity was further aroused by
this answer.


"Nell, you must tell me what it is" ]
said, keeping myself as quiet as possible.


"The devil viii |" he shouted, saw
agely.


"Then you shall be forced when we gel
on deck, replied, resolutely.


Hal ha forcedp Here he quietly