sound — and not many of them was much wasted by 

 the water. 



Taylor also wrote that the sloops which were at work 

 on the wreck when Phips and Narborough arrived had 

 brought Indian divers "from Florida, New England In- 

 dians, Musceto Indians and Negro divers, many of which 

 would stay four minutes under water." In all, he esti- 

 mated, about three hundred Indians dove on the wreck, 

 and of that number only five lost their lives. 



He described the diving tubs which the divers had 

 used to obtain air without coming to the surface each 

 time. They were 



. . . made in the form of a beU about ten feet di- 

 ameter at the open end and three feet at the closed 

 end and six feet high. These tubs they sank with 

 weights to the bottom, and then kept it about three 

 feet from the bottom by ropes, so that the divers, 

 when they wanted air and breath, would go under 

 the diving tub and so refresh themselves, and out to 

 work again. 



By this invention, the divers could stay under 

 water at least half an hour and work in the removing 

 of timbers and rocks; and so when they wanted 

 breath retreat into the diving tub, which would yield 

 them relief until the pent up air in the tub by their 

 breath, was become warm, and then they could 

 stay under water no longer, but they dived up and 

 the tub was hauled up to refresh it. 



Taylor completed his account with this story. 



Of such excellent use were these tubs that I 

 have seen an Indian dive down with a bottle of 

 brandy and so he that was underwater could, within 

 the tub, take a dram, and they talk together at 

 pleasure; and this I have seen frequently done on 

 the wreck. 



The SUver Shoals 277 



