Under the Waves | Page 9

glance of anger at Maxwell, the young
Irishman crushed down his feelings and said--
"Sure, I'm only jokin'. Put on the dress Mister Baldwin av ye plaze."
A diver, like a too high-bred lady, cannot well dress himself. He
requires two assistants. Rooney Machowl sat down on the plank beside
Maxwell, who was busy taking off his dress, and acted according to
orders.
First of all they brought him a thick guernsey shirt, a pair of drawers
and pair of inside stockings, which he put on and fastened securely.
Sometimes a "crinoline" to afford protection to the stomach in deep
water is put on, but on the present occasion it was omitted, the water
being shallow. Then Baldwin put on him a "shoulder-pad" to bear the
weight of the helmet, etcetera, and prevent chafing.
"If it was cold, Rooney," said his instructor, "I'd put two guernseys and
pairs of drawers and stockin's on you, but, as it's warm, one set'll do.
Moreover, if you was goin' deep you'd have the option of stuffin' your
ears with cotton soaked in oil, to relieve the pressure; some do an' some
don't. I never do myself. It's said to relieve the pressure of air on the
ears, but my ears are strong. Anyway you won't want it in this
water.--Now for the dress, boys."
The two assistants--with mouths expanded from ear to ear--here
advanced with the strong india-rubber garment whose legs, feet, body,
and arms are, as we have already said, all in one piece. Pushing his feet
in at the upper opening, Rooney writhed, thrust, and wriggled himself
into it, being ably assisted by his attendants, who held open the sleeves
for him and expanded the tight elastic cuffs, and, catching the dress at
the neck, hitched it upwards so powerfully as almost to lift their patient
off his legs. Next, came a pair of outside stockings and canvas overalls
or short trousers, both of which were meant to preserve the
dress-proper from injury. Having been got into all these things, Rooney
was allowed to sit down while his attendants each put on and buckled a
boot with leaden soles--each boot weighing about twenty pounds.

"A purty pair of dancin' pumps!" remarked Rooney, turning out his toes,
while Baldwin put on his breast-plate, after having drawn up the inner
collar of the dress and tied it round his neck with a piece of spare yarn.
The breast-plate was made of tinned copper. It covered part of the back,
breast, and shoulders of the diver, and had a circular neck, to which the
helmet was to be ultimately screwed. It rested on the inner collar of the
dress, and the outer collar--of stout india-rubber--was drawn over it. In
this outer collar were twelve holes, corresponding to twelve screws
round the edge of the breast-plate. When these holes had been fitted
over their respective screws, a breast-plate-band, in four pieces, was
placed over them and screwed tight by means of nuts--thus rendering
the connection between the dress and the breast-plate perfectly
water-tight. It now only remained to screw the helmet to the circular
neck of the breast-plate. Previously, however, a woollen night-cap was
drawn over the poor man's head, well down on his ears, and Rooney
looked--as indeed he afterwards admitted that he felt--as if he were
going to be hanged. He thought, however, of the proverb, that a man
who is born to be drowned never can be hanged, and somehow felt
comforted.
The diving helmet is made of tinned copper, and much too large for the
largest human head, in order that the wearer may have room to move
his head freely about inside of it. It should not touch the head in any
part, but is fixed rigidly to the breast-plate, resting on the shoulders,
and does not partake of the motions of the head. In it are three round
openings filled with the thickest plate-glass and protected by brass bars
or guards; also an outlet-valve to allow the foul air to escape; a short
metal tube with an inlet-valve, to which the air-pump is screwed; and a
regulating cock for getting rid of excess of air. The arrangement is such,
that the fresh air enters, and is spread over the front of the diver's face,
while the foul escapes at the back of his head. By a clever
contrivance--a segmental screw--the helmet can be fixed to its neck
with one-eighth of a turn, instead of having to be twisted round several
times. To various hooks and studs on the helmet and breast-plate are
hung two leaden masses weighing about forty pounds each.

These weights having been attached, and a waist-belt with a knife in it
put round Rooney's waist, along with the life-line, the air-tube was
affixed, and he was asked by