Year: 1872

So far our search had been unsucccss-
ful. AT last | observed something that
made me suspect that Blcggs was playing
me tricks Happening to make my de-
scent after him somewhat more rapidly
than usual, found him emerging from
the hulk. He assured me afterward that
he had only gone there for mussels, of
which he was very fond, and which were
very fine on the hulk.


A day or two afterward- Rleggs having
meantime obtained leave to 'go ashore"
as we called visiting the main land-I OBJ.
served that man was constantly hanging
about the reef fishing in an open boat,
1t was not very good fishing ground,
and it was some distance from shore for
an open boat but | noticed that this
stranger always remained at his moorings
till after dark. He was not very COM
muniCative-indeed, he growled at our
manRuvres, SAYING that we drove the nsll
away. At the same time | discovered
tliat he was not a native, for he did not
speak the local dialect, but what, for
want of a better definition, may call
London-English.


My suspicious were aroused at last,
when turning around suddenly one day
while we were preparing to descend,
saw Blcggs signaling to the solitary fish
erman. | said nothing, but determined
to investigate without delay.


All that night ! lay awake thinking
over this matter, ! rose in the morning
with matured plan. When Bleggs and
| had finished our midday meal, which
was cooked on board the boat, ] ordered
him to take off his diving dress, and go
to the mainland to fetch some paper,
under the pretence that | had none in
store, and must write my report to Mr.
Turton that night. Bleggs did not seem
to like the idea, but he was obliged to go,
| sent one of the crew with him in our
small punt; and as soon as | saw him
disappear behind the island / jumped
overheard to prosecute my seal ch,


| made my way to the hulk and entered
it. A very short survey sutficed to show
me that it had been visited, and that the
contents of its hold had been recently
disturbed. Making my way down, | was
speedy engaged in clearing away the sand
and weed, beneath which / soon came
upon some large wooden cases, so rotted
and decaycd that very few blows of my
axe shivered the lid of one, and revealed
the contents.


There lay masses of what, in spite of
their being so oXydized and, as it were,
fused together by the action of the
saltwater, | could see were gold and sill
yer coins. The sight at first surprised
and delighted me then came an access
of rage at the treachcry of Bleggs, who
had, it was clear, concealed this treasure
from me, and was evidently helping him
self to the contents of the chest-somc-
how, though how knew not.


| began to search the hold narrowly for
some trace of the manner in which he re-
moved the coin. In a remote corner |
came on a bundle of raw hide, and several
coils of thin but strong line. Beside
these lay a knife which identified as his,
and therefore took possession of as Il Bit
of evidence against him. Then | ascend
ed to the deck again, and looked


me. | could see a place whe"


warks had evidently ="


lately, and beyor


hssd Arifted upG


| CO aid occ Hral


been dragged along63s.ry


was guided to nc ,sa the u,


of rock, wherein | found two lar


ges, consisting of raw hide, and bvit,


full of coins. A line was attached to
them. I followed it with my eyes as il
went up-up toward the surface of the
water as far as | could see. was Just
about to pull it, in order to discover
whether it was attached to some floating
buoy, when made out through the dim
green haze of heaving water a dark object,
which | Immediately guessed was
the boat of the uncommunicative fisher
man.


Well might that morose parsonage cast
line after line into the sea if this was the
sort of catches he made | saw at once
why he stad out until it grew dark. 1t
was to haul in his prize unObscrved. |
determined he should have his labor for
nothing this once, at any rate. | would
tie his lines to a mass Of rock, and let
him pull that up | should want some
cord for this purpose, and remembering
the coil in the hold of the vessel, | went
back to see it.


While | was cropping my way in the
hold | felt a sudden jerk at my signal line,
which, as you are aware, is attached
round divers waist. lsupposed it must
have caught on some protection on the
wreck The next minute found it must
have broken, for it hung loose.


As put my hand behind me, to the
knot of the signal line, to make sure that
this was the case, | experienced violent
push from behind, which flung me down
on my face. Before could recover my
self, or even wonder what was amiss, |
felt my hands caught in a slip-nsose,
drawn forcibly together behind, and
bound fast by the wrists.


BY this time | had guessed who my as
sailant was. Bleggs had managed, some
how, to return very much sooner than he
should have done, and had come down
and surprised me.


As soon as he had finished tying my
hands he turned me over on my back, and
. putting his foot on my chest, stood look
ing at me for a minute or two. Even at
that moment it struck me how strange we
; must lo0k-one man looking at the other
! with triumph and hatred, the other gaz-
ing at him in alarm and anxiety but the
, countenancc of each hidden from the
other by the strange, expressionless div
ing-helmets.


He raised mc to my feet, when a VIC.
lent struggle ensued. But he was my
master; I was powcrlcss with my hands
bound so; he forced me back against an
upl lSllI ouIlJDll, dlii idoiSN NV W lu


| felt sense of relief for knew that,
: although he had cut my signal rope, my
+ staying down long after he aScended
would alarm the men in our boat, and
o some means would have to be taken to
free me. There were one or two men
:, among the crew who could dive a little,
! and there were two spare dresses on the
island, in case of accidents


But had miscalculated my enemy's
: malice. You may have observed, in a
divers helmet, two little brass discs, per.
f forated like the rose of watering pot,
e One of these is constantly in use, allow
! ing the superfuous or vitiated air to es
cape The second is for use in case of
t the other being clogged or damaged Both


are so arranged that on being turned half
g round they are closed, and shut in the air,
: whereupon the diver becomes so buoyant
t that he rires at once to the surface.
S Bleggs came up to me, made mocking
D bow as if to take farewell and then closed
s both the escape valves of my helmet. All
v the horror of my situation flashed on me
/. He intended to murder me. With every
S stroke Of the airpump would come a
a greater pressure of air, which by its in


creasing weight would kill me after the
:. most awful tortures.


a Before had recovered from the shock
:. Bleggs had disappeared, and already the
4 ! strOkp pS of the air -pumn seemed to heat on