is von piece of the wreck
moving from the west."

I looked down, and saw the edge of a piece of black timber making its
appearance within the verge of the rim of the bell; but, in consequence
of the small angle afforded by our pent-up position, we could not
observe more than two inches of it. Large bushes of confusedly entangled
sea-weed were brushing past, and, as they stuck about the rim, darkened
the interior so much that we could scarcely see each other. These seemed
of but small importance to Jenkins, who was evidently still unsatisfied
with the working of the pumps, and got upon his feet to examine into the
cause of their irregular and interrupted action. It struck me, at this
time, that Jenkins' question about the current had more meaning in it
than was made apparent to me: I suspected that he entertained fears that
the air tubes had got entangled in some way with the bell chain. His
efforts did not seem to produce any greater regularity of action in the
tubes; the whizzing noise continued every now and then to be
interrupted; at one time, it stopped altogether for about a minute. The
machinery was working reluctantly, and with a struggling difficulty that
was apparent to the eye and ear; but other proofs of a more decided and
fearful kind were awaiting us. I felt a painful load at my breast, as if
I wanted air; my respiration became quick and unsatisfactory; a swimming
of the head came over me; I could scarcely see my companions without
great effort to fix my wavering vision. The darkness at the mouth of the
bell continued to increase; the piece of the wreck was moving slowly
under us; the weeds were increasing. I could perceive that Vanderhoek
was also labouring for breath; Jenkins, relinquishing his efforts at the
air tube mouths, turned, looked wildly at his neighbour, and, staggering
down upon the bench, struggled to get hold of the hammer, which, when he
grasped it tremblingly, fell out of his hands down into the bottom of
the sea.

"In the name of God! what is the meaning of all this, Jenkins?" I cried,
in a voice that was choked for want of air.

He lay upon the bench, and gasped, apparently unable to speak; he looked
to Vanderhoek, and pointed to an instrument in the shape of a
mattock--shaking his hand, and muttering indistinctly, "Haste! haste!"

The sign and words were perfectly understood by Vanderhoek as well as
by myself. I looked on, with the intense agony of fear and impeded
lungs, and added