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3 feet, formed of iron bars placed openly, and having a wooden floor. This 

 was slung from the pontoons, and let down where the divers were to work, 

 and in it they stood when at work. After hooking on the lifting hook to the 

 port, the diver hxed the stop, or slide, to prevent the hook falling out, and 

 also made fast the rod to the ship's rail above, to steady it. 



It was at first intended to make use of the lifting power of the tide, and 

 assist it by filling the pontoons with water, and pumping them out as the tide 

 rose. For this purpose valves were put in the bottom of the pontoons, and 

 pumps provided. 



This plan was put in operation for some time, until, as the vessel was 

 hauled ahead, it was found that the bank was so steep that she was liable to 

 slip back when allowed to rest on the bottom. At one place the stern was 

 observed to have thirty feet more water over it than the bows had, so sudden 

 was the incline, and for a short distance near the top of the bank, the inclina- 

 tion was nearly 1 to 1. 



It was found necessary after this to keep her always suspended or carried 

 from the pontoons, and to trust to the lifting power afforded by working the 

 screws. 



This steep bank added much to the difficulties to be overcome, and the 

 vessel was brought gradually side on to it, so as to bring her more to a level. 

 This was done by lifting at each lift the stern more than the bows, and hauling 

 it round at same time up the slope of the bank. 



As the vessel was lifted she was hauled ahead by being made fast by a 

 chain cable from her bow to the "Ladybird," which steamer was hauled ahead 

 from time to time, as required, to moorings placed in shore. 



The position of the wreck may be briefly described. 



She lay on a comparatively level bottom of soft clay and shells, with a 

 rise of six feet in the length of the vessel towards the bows, and the stem was 

 sunk about seven feet in the mud ; a great weight of mud was piled upon the 

 poop deck, probably thrown over the stern when she went down. At the 

 stern the depth of water was 17| fathoms, or 105 feet, at high-water. 



This nearly level bottom extended ahead for about sixty feet, when the 

 foot of a bank was reached. This bank rose at a rate of thirty feet in two 

 hundred feet, or in about the length of the vessel, for a distance ahead of some 

 five hundred feet, when the inclination increased to a rise of twenty-seven feet 

 in thirty feet, for a short distance up to the top of the bank, over which there 

 was a depth of twenty-one feet at high-water. 



On getting over this bank the depth increased to twenty-four feet for 

 some distance, and then gradually shoaled in shore for a length of six hundred 

 feet, or thereabouts, farther. 



The rise of tide at springs was 4 feet 6 inches, and at neaps 1 foot 6 inches, 

 and there was a current on the ebb which greatly interfered with the 

 operations of the divers for two-thirds of the ebb. The position, however, 

 was landlocked and sheltered from any waves or swell of consequence. 



A notice of some of the damages sustained by the vessel may be in- 

 teresting. 



First, the damage sustained when she struck on the rock before sinking, 

 as found after she was raised : — 



The extent of the damage lay within three frames, or a length of 4 feet, 

 in the engine room compartment, on the port side, close behind the donkey 

 engine. There was a crack or rent in one of the plates ; the top of the crack 

 was about 4 feet under the load water-line ; the crack was alongside one of the 

 angle iron ship's frames. It was 3 feet long, and of an average width open of 

 1 inch. The frame was bulged in about 8 inches. 



There was also a hole about 2 feet aft of the crack and on the same level ; 



