Nevertheless, the
captain determined to make a try for it. The Indian swore that he knew
about the exact location and for the promise of a dollar a day he
agreed to pilot them to the place. After a cruise of about thirty miles
eastward, they came to the place where the Indian said the wreck had
occurred and taking sounding they found bottom a little over nineteen
fathoms. The weather being fine they hove to and the yawl containing the
diving pump was lowered.
"This is a pretty deep dive," remarked the captain to Paul as he was
equipping himself in his armour.
"It is," responded Paul, "the deepest I ever made; but nothing risk,
nothing win. Fasten on the face piece and you yourself attend to
the signal line."
He dropped overboard and commenced descending slowly, while the captain
anxiously and watchfully plied out the signal line and hose. He reached
bottom which was full of rocks covered with a slimy growth of marine
vegetation; the pressure on him was something enormous. It was very
dark and he groped for some time without discovering anything. He
signaled the boat to move with him as he pursued his explorations. At
last his heart was gladdened by the sight of a wreck overgrown with a
heavy mass of weeds and sea plumes.
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