Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/434

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��Popular Science Monthly

���In the first place the surf was heavy. The steam- er sent down by the sah'age com- p a n y wahowed about seventeen days before it was possible to start work. The ship had been sunk in the open roadstead, but upon a bar so that the upper works were awash. Be-

��The ship had been sunk on a bar in the open roadstead, so that the upper works were awash. The surging of the rollers and the undertow made it difficult for the divers to work or to move about

��came alongside he was closely questioned. Some of the provisions were taken aboard, among them were a number of ^ bottles of brandy. Perhaps the brandy allayed all suspicions. At all events it was decided to hoist on board a hogs- head of lard. This was found to be al- ready slung. Half way on its upward journey it exploded, killing about thirty men, wounding nearly the same number, and incidentally sinking the Progrcso. The poor fool in the boat (if he really had known what he was doing, his cour- age would rank with that of Hobson), Avas taken on the deck of the sinking ship and shot with characteristic Mexi- can promptness. The Auxiliar, an ocean-going tug, happened to be near, and saved the crew from the sinking vessel.

Five months later a Xew York salvage company was commissioned by the Mex- ican government to raise the ship. Ask the head of the wrecking expedition how the Progrcso was salved, and he will an- swer: "By a board fence, a few lengths of barnyard netting, and a moving-pic- ture screen.'' In spite of this airy de- scription, the undertaking was fraught with many difficulties and real danger.

���Space Dnpeit rfi» Pet^ffe ^

g ; '• \/^_ ^- --

��Diagram of the hold of the ship, showing

the compartment which was filled with

compressed air to make the steamer rise

on what was practically a bubble

fore the wreckers could start to raise her it was necessary to seal every opening; glass deadlights, hatches and bulkhead doors had been blown away. The surg- ing of the rollers and the undertow made it hard for the divers to work or to main- tain their footing. Even at low tide the obstacles were formidable, for the surf broke about their heads, and the heavy diving suits hampered them because they were not completely submerged.

Cages Saz'cd the Divers from Sharks

Man-eating sharks added to the haz- ards of the work ; for they were attract- ed by the noise of hammering, and had to be fought off many times. Even more savage than the man-eating sharks was a

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