Year: 1875

LIFE BENEATH THE WAVES.


CAPT. BOYTON's ADVENTURES AS A


DIvER-THE WRECK ON A CORAL |


REEF-A RAINBOW HOME FOR


MERMAIDs-FIGHTN


SHARKS.


From the Genteaan's Magazine.


Soon afterward I worked down in
to the Gulf Of Mexico. The first cor
al raised was in Cotoche. Knock
ing round about there, I heard of the
loss Of the schooner Foam. The first
mate and three men got saved, but
the captain, his daughter, and three
men got lost. I slung round to see if
she could be raised. After we'd spent
the best part Of the week we sailed
over her and dropped anchor. It
was lovely Sunday morning when
we struck her. She lay in sixty feet
Of water on a bottom as white as the
moon. Looking down I could see
her leaning over on one side upon
the coral reef. When I got down to
her 1 saw she'd torn a great gap in
the reef when she ran against it. The
main mast was gone and hung by the
fore; I clambered up; I saw whole
shoals Of fish playing in and out of
the matches. First I went to look for
the bodies, for I never like to work
while there's any of them about.
Finding the -fo'castle empty, I went to
the two little state cabins. It was
rather dark, and I had to feel in the
lower hunks. There was nothing in
the first, and in the other the door
was locked. I pried it open and shot
back the lock with my adz.. It few
open, and out something fell against
me. I felt at once itwas the woman's
body. ), I was not exactly frightened,
| but it shook me rather. I slung it
| from me and went out into the light
a bit until I got hold of myself. Then
turned back and brought her out
poor thing. She'd been very pretty:
and so I carried her in my arms
| with her while face nesting against
my shoulder, she seemed as if she was
only sleeping. I made her fast tc
the line as carefully as I could to send
her up, and the fish played about he1
as if they were sorry she was going
At last I gave the signal, and sht
went slowly up, her hair floating
round her head like a pillow of gol
! den seaweed. That was the only
body I found there, and I managed
after to raise pretty considerable o1
the cargo.


One of my expeditions was among
the silver banks of the Antilles, tn,
loveliest place I ever saw, where tn
white coral grows into curious tree
like shapes. As I stepped along tn
bottom it seemed as if I were in .
frosted forest. Here and there trail
ed long fronds Of green and crimson
seaweed. Silver-bellied fish flashed
about the deep-brown and purple
sea ferns, which rose high as my head
Far as I could see all round in tn,
transparent water were different col
ored leaves, and on the floor piles O.
shells so right in color that it seemed
as if l had stumbled on place wher'
they kept a stock Of broken rainbows
I could not work for bit, and had 6
quarter determination to sit down 8
while and wait for a mermaid.
guess if those sea girls hive anywhere
they select that spot. After walking
the inside out of half an hour
thought that I had better go to worl
and blast for treasure. A little bi
on from where I sat we're the re
mains ola treasure ship. 1t was .
Britisher, I think, and corals hat
formed all about her, or rather abou
what was left of her. The coral OF
the bottom and round her showet
black spots. That meant a deposi
of either iron or silver. I made fair
ly good hauls. every time I wen
down, and sold one piece I found t<
Barnum of New York.


After / left there I had q curious
adventure with a shark. + was dow1
on a nasty rock bottom. A man nev
er feels comfortable on them; he can
tell what big creature may be hiding
under the huge quarterback sea
leaves which grow there. The frs
part of the time I was visited by {
porcupine fish, which kept sticking
its quilts up and bobbing in front o
my hemlet. Soon after I saw a biz
shadow fall across me, and looking
up there was an Internal shark play
ing about my tubing. It makes yo'
feel chilly in the back when they'r'
about. He came down to me slicl
as I looked up. made at him ant
he sheared off: For an hour b
worked at it, till I could stand it n
longer. If you can keep your hea'
level, it's all right and you're prett,
safe if they're not on you sharp. Thi
ugly brute was twenty feet long,
should think, for when I lay down al
my length on the bottom he stretched
a considerable distance ahead Of me
and I could see him beyond my fee,
Then waited. They must turl
lover to bite, and my lying down both
cred him. He swan over two 0
three times, and then skulked off to