about in a tight circle and dropped his hook. He signaled 

 for us to anchor nearby. 



When our anchor was down and Sea Diver had 

 drifted to her natural position in relation to wind and tide, 

 we found ourselves side by side with the Treasure Prin- 

 cess. 



Across the intervening water, Art called, "There's the 

 galleon. You can see the ballast from your deck." 



Beneath the calm water created by the shelter of the 

 two boats was plainly evident a spreading heap of ballast 

 stone topped by an elongated object — a cannon. 



We hurried into our diving gear and were soon on the 

 bottom. The first thing that caught my eye was a large 

 sign anchored many feet beneath the surface. "Private 

 property of Arthur J. McKee. Keep off." Art had placed 

 it there to warn away skin divers who might poach on his 

 wreck or spear the numerous beautiful fish which 

 swarmed around it. 



The wreck lay beyond the sign, a lengthy pile of coral 

 and ballast rock surrounded by depths of white sand. 

 The cannon which surmounted the ballast had been dug 

 from the sand and hoisted to the top of the wreck so that 

 it would be visible to sight-seers through the glass bottom 

 of the Treasure Princess. Near one end of the ballast was 

 a small section of timber which Art had uncovered with 

 his jetting hose. However, most of his finds, as he had al- 

 ready told us, came from the soft sand near the wreck. 



Beneath these ruins, no doubt, reposed the jewel 

 coffers of great ladies, luxurious appointments from the 

 captain's cabin, and unknown treasures which had gone 

 down in the baggage of the returning voyagers. Undoubt- 

 edly there had been quantities of gold and silver, too, 

 although it was doubtful how much had survived the 

 salvage operations which must have gone on for years 



88 Sea Diver 



