Part 10 (1/2)
Thus simply was the story told, that in a few hours was to send a thrill throughout the continent
To complete the narrative of the expedition, it is necessary to include the voyage of the Agaiven in the letter of the correspondent of the London Times We quote from the time of junction ineastward and ard:
”For the first three hours the shi+ps proceeded very slowly, paying out a great quantity of slack, but after the expiration of this tiaoing at about six, without indicating more than a few hundred pounds of strain upon the dynae whale was seen approaching the starboard bow at a great speed, rolling and tossing the sea into foam all around and for the first time we felt the possibility of the supposition that our second ht have been caused after all by one of these ani foul of it under water It appeared as if it were reat was the relief of all when the ponderous livingthe cable where it entered the water, but fortunately without doing any ht o'clock; the cable paid out froularity which showed how carefully and perfectly it had been coiled away; and to guard against accidents whichsuffered injury during the storm, the indicated strain upon the dynao beyond seventeen hundred pounds, or less than one quarter what the cable is esti of success But, in such a hazardous work, no one knohat a few ht, an injured portion of the cable was discovered about aout Not a ineer on duty, in setting men to work to cobble up the injury as well as ti out at such a rate that the daed portion would be paid overboard in less than twenty minutes, and former experience had shown us that to check either the speed of the shi+p, or the cable, would, in all probability, be attended by thewas finished, Professor Thomson reported that the electrical continuity of the wire had ceased, but that the insulation was still perfect; attention was naturally directed to the injured piece as the probable source of the stoppage, and not athe cable at that point, with the intention ofa perfect splice
To the consternation of all, the electrical tests applied showed the fault to be overboard, and in all probability some fifty miles from the shi+p Not a second was to be lost, for it was evident that the cut portion must be paid overboard in a few minutes, and in thea splice had to be performed The shi+p was immediately stopped, and no more cable paid out than was absolutely necessary to prevent it breaking
”As the stern of the shi+p was lifted by the waves, a scene of the most intense excitereatest possible speed, and paying out the least possible amount of cable, that the junction could be finished before the part was taken out of the hands of the workmen The main hold presented an extraordinary scene; nearly all the officers of the shi+p and of those connected with the expedition, stood in groups about the coil, watching with intense anxiety the cable, as it slowly unwound itself nearer and nearer the joint, while the work, under whose superintendence the cable was originally manufactured, worked at the splice as only men could ho felt that the life and death of the expedition depended upon their rapidity But all their speed was to no purpose, as the cable was unwinding within a hundred fathoms, and, as a last and desperate resource, the cable was stopped altogether, and, for a fewon by the end Fortunately, however, it was only for a fewabove two tons, and it would not hold on nal was made to loose the stopper, and it passed overboard safely enough
”When the excite so narrowly saved the cable had passed aoke to the consciousness that the case was still as hopeless as ever, for the electrical continuity was still entirely wanting Preparations were consequently made to pay out as little rope as possible, and to hold on for six hours, in the hopes that the fault, whatever itthe cable and returning to the rendezvous toinstrunals; when, in a few uished by their suddenly indicating dead earth, which tended to show that the cable had broken froara, or that the insulation had been completely destroyed
”In three reeably surprised by the intelligence that the stoppage had disappeared, and that the signals had again appeared at their regular intervals froara It is needless to say what a load of anxiety this news reeneral confidence in the ultimate success of the operations was much shaken by the occurrence, for all felt that every ht occur For so-out continued as usual, but toward the ed place was discovered in the cable; there was fortunately, however, ti with the operations beyond for a ti theell; the shi+p had been kept at the speed of about five knots, the cable paid out at about six, the average angle with the horizon at which it left the shi+p being about fifteen degrees, while the indicated strain upon the dynamometer seldom showed more than sixteen hundred pounds to seventeen hundred pounds
Observations ood ninety -point since the previous day, with an expenditure, including the loss in lowering the splice and during the subsequent stoppages, of one hundred and thirty-fivethe latter portion of the day the baro it blew alale of wind from the eastward, dead ahead of course
As the breeze freshened, the speed of the engines was gradually increased, but the wind more than increased in proportion, so that, before the sun went down, the Aga a speed of about four knots an hour During the evening topmasts were lowered, and spars, yards, sails, and indeed every thing aloft that could offer resistance to the wind, was sent down on deck; but still the shi+p made but little way, chiefly in consequence of the heavy sea, though the enormous quantity of fuel consumed showed us that, if the wind lasted, we should be reduced to burning thethe shi+p into Valentia
”It seemed to be our particular ill-fortune to meet with head-winds whichever way the shi+p's head was turned On our journey out we had been delayed, and obliged to consume an undue proportion of coal, for want of an easterly wind, and now all our fuel anted because of one However, during the next day the wind gradually went around to the south-west, which, though it raised a very heavy sea, allowed us to husband our s store of fuel
”At noon on Saturday, the thirty-first of July, observations showed us to have ood one hundred and twenty miles of distance since noon of the previous day, with a loss of about twenty-seven per cent of cable The Niagara, as far as could be judged from the aenalled at every ten miles, kept pace with us, within one or twothe afternoon of Saturday, the wind again freshened up, and before nightfall it again blew nearly a gale of wind, and a tremendous sea ran before it froaht iht; indeed, had it not been for the constant care and watchfulness exercised by Mr Bright, and the two energetic engineers, Mr Canning and Mr Clifford, who acted with him, it could not have been done at all Men were kept at the wheels of theas the stern of the shi+p rose and fell with the sea, for, had they done so, the cableSunday the sea and wind increased, and before the evening it blew a sy and activity of all engaged in the operation tasked to the utineers who had the charge of the relieving-wheels of the dynamometer, had to keep watch and watch alternately every four hours, and while on duty durst not let their attention be removed fro the brakes every tih of the sea entirely depended the safety of the cable, and the result sho ably they discharged their duty Throughout the night, there were feho had the least expectation of the cable holding on tillfor the sound that all un which should announce the failure of all our hopes But still the cable, which, in comparison with the shi+p fro which it was delivered, was but aa silvery phosphorous line upon the stupendous seas as they rolled on toward the shi+p
”With Sundaycame no improvement in the weather; still the sky remained black and stormy to ard, and the constant violent squalls of wind and rain which prevailed during the whole day served to keep up, if not to augh soto hold was much restored
”At noon, observations showed us to have ood one hundred and thirty miles from noon of the previous day, and about three hundred and sixty fro-point inof twenty-four hundred fathoenerally, while the a in the shi+p was more than sufficient to carry us to the Irish coast, even supposing the continuance of the bad weather should oblige us to pay out the sa Thus far things looked very pro for our ultimate success But former experience showed us only too plainly that we could never suppose that soht not arise until the ends had been fairly landed on the opposite shores
”During Sunday night and Mondaythe weather continued as boisterous as ever, and it was only by the ineer upon duty that the wheels could be prevented froether, as the vessel rose and fell with the sea, and once or twice they did come completely to a standstill, in spite of all that could be done to keep theain set in motion before the stern of the shi+p was thrown up by the succeeding wave No strain could be placed upon the cable, of course; and though the dynaistered seventeen hundred pounds as the shi+p lifted, it was oftener below one thousand, and was frequently nothing, the cable running out as fast as its oeight and the speed of the shi+p could draw it But even with all these forces acting unresistedly upon it, the cable never paid itself out at a greater speed than eight knots an hour at the ti at the rate of six knots and a half Subsequently, however, when the speed of the shi+p even exceeded six knots and a half, the cable never ran out so quick The average speed maintained by the shi+p up to this tie, was about five knots and a half, the cable, with occasional exceptions, running about thirty per cent faster
”At noon on Monday, August second, had ood one hundred and twenty-seven and a half miles since noon of the previous day, and completed more than the half way to our ulti the afternoon an American three-masted schooner, which afterward proved to be the Chieftain, was seen standing from the eastward toward us No notice was taken of her at first, but when she ithin about half a ht down across our bows A collision, which ht prove fatal to the cable, now seemed inevitable, or could only be avoided by the equally hazardous expedient of altering the Agaun for her to heave to, which, as she did not appear to take much notice of, was quickly followed by another froamemnon, and a second and third from the Valorous, but still the vessel held on her course; and as the only resource left to avoid a collision, the course of the Agamemnon was altered just in time to pass within a few yards of her It was evident that our proceedings were a source of the greatest possible astonishing At length they evidently discovered ere, and ere doing, for the crew n several tiaratulations in due forarded the vessel which, either by the stupidity or carelessness of those on board, was so near adding a fatal and unexpectedchapter of accidents which had already been encountered, ined To those beloho of course did not see the shi+p approaching, the sound of the first gun canal of the breaking of the cable The dinner-tables were deserted in a eneral rushit, their fears were quickly banished by the report of the succeeding gun, which all kneell could only be caused by a shi+p in our way or a reater portion of Monday etting gradually weaker, until they ceased altogether for nearly three-quarters of an hour Our uneasiness, however, was in soe appeared to be a want of continuity,[B] and not any defect in insulation, and there was consequently every reason to suppose that it ara Accordingly Professor Thonals were too weak to be read, and, as if they had been awaiting such a signal to increase their battery power, the deflections ier than they had ever been before Toward the evening, however, they again declined in force for a short ties, the electrical condition of the subed wire seemed to be much improved It was evident that the low temperature of the water at the i properties of the gutta-percha, while the enormous pressure to which it must have been subjected probably tended to consolidate its texture, and to fill up any air-bubbles or slight faults inMonday night moderated a little, but still there was a very heavy sea on, which endangered the wire every second , all on board were startled froun Every one, without waiting for the performance of the most particular toilet, rushed on deck to ascertain the cause of the disturbance Contrary to all expectation, the cable was safe, but just in the gray light could be seen the Valorous rounded to in the un in quick succession toward a large A, was standing right across our stern Such loud and repeated reate were not to be despised, and, evidently without knowing the why or the wherefore, she quickly threw her sails aback and remained hove to Whether those on board her considered that ere engaged in sos as another British outrage upon the A, it is ireat trepidation, she reht of her in the distance
”Tuesday was a much finer day than any we had experienced for nearly a week, but still there was a considerable sea running, and our dangers were far froh We had accomplished nearly the whole of the deep-sea portion of the route in safety, and that, too, under the most unfavorable circumstances possible; therefore there was every reason to believe that unless some unforeseen accident should occur, we should acco, the steep subraphic plateau fro of the water had a verythe strain on and the speed of it to lessen every reat inequalities which -line About ten o'clock the shoal water of two hundred and fifty fathoing from the lower main coil to that upon the upper deck, and this erous operation was successfully perfor
”Wednesday was a beautiful, calm day; indeed, it was the first on which any one would have thought ofa splice since the day we started froratulated ourselves on having saved a week by co operations on the Thursday previous At noon, ere eighty-nine raph station at Valentia The water was shallow, so that there was no difficulty in paying out the wire almost without any loss of slack, and all looked upon the undertaking as virtually acco, the second change from the upper-deck coil to that upon the orlop-deck was safely effected, and shortly after the vessels exchanged signals that they were in two hundred fathoht advanced the speed of the shi+p was reduced, as it was known that ere only a short distance fro it before daylight in the ht was seen in the distance, and the Valorous stea rockets at intervals to direct us, which were answered by us fro to Mr
Moriarty, thethe Valorous, kept her own course, which proved to be the right one in the end
”By daylight on theof Thursday, the bold and rocky mountains which entirely surround the wild and picturesque neighborhood of Valentia, rose right before us at a few ht of land ht to a successful terreatest, but, at the same time, most difficult schemes which was ever undertaken Had it been the dullest and most melancholy swamp on the face of the earth that lay before us, we should have found it a pleasant prospect; but, as the sun rose fro with a deep, soft purple the lofty summits of the steeptheupon the that could be produced by the ination of an artist