Year: 1871

THE DIVERS STORY.


Few readers, perhaps, have ever seer
the name of Simon Weaver in print, anC
fewer still would know who the man wa
should it be seen.


Divers, as class, and in spite of al
the safeguards afforded them by moderI
science, pass most precarious existence
and each time a descent is made, be the
water deep or shallow, the practiced dive
feeis that perhaps his last glimpse of sun
sky and friends has been taken. Those o
the most experience feel this the NOR,
keenly. ..--s.-s...-..-5l


One night while the snow drove lik,
hail against the only window in the house
facing the sea, 1 found myself one of ;
party OF divers, wrecker and contractor
for such work.


had asked many questions of the sew
eral takers forming the circle, as to tht
life, incidents and dangers of the profession
when Captain Stephen L.. an old gray
beard among divers and such ilk, nudgeC
me, and whispered that il could get olC
Simon Weaver into the talking humor my
desire for stirring incident would be fully
gratified. ,s-


Cautiously approaching the subject o
personal adventure under water, for Weaver
proved a little shy, by few well-timet
questions, l succeeded in bringing hin
outn to my entire satisfactio


As write the words of the old man,
.secm to see the earnest glance, the cree;
figure, and the almost snow-white heaC
shaking and nOdding as the memory of BIZ
exploits came before his mind.


Taking fresh attitude in his chair, anC
casting his eyes from one to the ether o
US "boys,n as he called the younger mem.
bers of the party, the old diver began.


"Few of our officers on duty off Charles
ton in 1856 will forget when the news
came out to the wooden feet that moni
tor had been partially disabled, and that
until something could be done her situation
was extremely critical. She lay quite neal
the batteries, and as though dIyining hel
danger, their guns were plunging their
shot and shell against her with the fiercest
energy. .-1 --s rrF


at was seon known that diver would
be called into rcquisition to do the work
under water, while the guns of Sumter
bade fair to demolish the whole ship in .
few hours. f- 7fs- -s


Being the most experienced of the div
ing corps on duty at that time, the Admiral
sent for me without delay, and laying the
difficulty before me, asked if would un.
dcrtake tie job. By few judiciously put
questions was seon placed in possession
of all the iacts, the work to be done, an6
the results to be expected from success.


"The propeller of the vessel had beer
fouled by some of the numerous obstruc-
ticns set sfloat by the enemy, and moi
wishing to endanger any other vessel in
the same manner, the Admiral desired tc
send me alongside in steam picket boat
with nov best diving gear, and try to maze
a successful descent.
" In due time we, that is, myself and
four more whom I could trust under all
peril, arrived at the place of operations.
And now, before going further with my
story, let me try to give an idea of the
situation, and its cause A vessel had
been sent in to reconnoiter, and, if neces-
sarv, to fire On the batteries to ascertain
their force and strength.


Proceeding cautiously until within a
few hundred yards of Sumter, she had
unconsciously drifted too close TO the line
of Instructions defending the entrance to
the harbor, and in turning to come out,
her propeller, as said before, had become
entangled among ropes and chains. All
efforts to release the ship from her perilous
position had failed, hence the cal for
diver. Immediately on perceiying the
state of affairs, no hard task, the enemy
had opened a fearful fire from all guns
within range on the single craft, and
seemed bent on her destruction before as
sistance could reach her.


The shot fell fast and furious against
the iron of her turret and side armor,
while the water on all sides fairly boiled
from the frequent shot striking its surface.
1t seemed veritable iron hail.


GAS our little picket boat approached
the scene of conflict, the firing suddenly
ceased, and we were fortunate enough to
get below with the apparatus before the
storm again burst over the trembling ship.
The cause Of this apparent kindness was
made known to US the following day by a
deserter from Fort Sumter.


"As the picket steamer approached the
monitor, the enemy imagined tnat message
from the Yankee commander was about to
be received, looking TO an arnistice or
surrender, so slackened fire. After wait
ing few moments, and the expected flag
of truce not making its appearance, the
enemy saw that somehow they had been
outwitted, and the shower of shot and
shell seemed to increase in ferceness as
they reopened fire.


"In a short time / saw how matters
stool, and succeeded in finding place On
the lee side of the turret, where, If the
ship could be kept in one position, no shot
could reach me. Carefully Instructing my
men as to their duties, / at length got my
ladder overheard on the safe side, and made
it fast in such manner that should the
wind change or rise during my absence
under water, my means Of escape should
not be entirely cut of. Leading my air
pipe up through the turret and out through
cne of the ports, secured them to my
helmet, and requested that all firing from
the ship be suspended during my absence,
for experience had taught me the danger
of a heavy discharge directly overhead of a
diver.


The position of the turret favored my
request, aud placing its back to the enemy
enabled me to use the gun port as | have
described. As my life would hang upon a
thread at best, made every arrangement
for safety that experience could suggest,
even going myself into the engine-toom
and enjoining upon the engineer Of the
watch not to allow the engines to be