156 RENAISSANCE 



and swung full weight upon the nuts. Delaying only long 

 enough to bail out the water and dry the bathysphere, it 

 was hoisted up and over and down again to 3000 feet. It 

 came easily and quickly up and a glance through the door 

 showed that the sphere was bone dry. 



This was reassuring, and at least it demonstrated that 

 life was possible in the bathysphere at that depth. For the 

 first time a space had been hollowed out beneath a full 

 half-mile of water, where a man might make himself 

 breathable air, and feel and move and listen and look, and 

 return in safety. 



One more test with the telephone and light cable at- 

 tached and we would be satisfied. It was far too late to be 

 attempted that day so we put back at once. 



Sunday, the eighteenth, dawned with a high northeast 

 wind. For two weeks the National Broadcasting men had 

 been waiting patiently with us, and while there was not 

 a penny of financial obligation involved, yet I felt a cer- 

 tain amount of responsibility and in the face of what I 

 felt were almost hopeless conditions, I ordered everyone 

 on board at seven o'clock and we put out past Nonsuch 

 Island and Castle Roads to the open sea. For three miles 

 we wallowed and rolled with the tug Powerful standing 

 by in case of need. We had to guy the bathysphere from 

 five directions to keep her from overturning and rolling 

 about the deck. It needed no prolonged consultation to 

 sense the suicidal folly of attempting to operate in such 

 weather. 



