DIVER'S WEIRD EXPERIENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 18

DIVER'S WEIRD EXPERIENCE.

Some years ago a curious thing happened during certain diving operations at Dover. It occurred while Sir John Jackson and Co. were adding the turret to the pier as a means of breaking the water. While a diver was below he signalled hastily to be drawn up, and upon arriving at the 1 surface, looking much scared, he related | a strange story. While working below, he I said, he saw the head of some horrible monster emerge from an opening in the cliff, threatening to attack him. The creature, however, appeared to be imprisoned, amid was unable to get its body altogether through the opening. The story was generally received with scepticism, and the affrighted diver was believed to be suffering from an attack of “ nerves.” As, however, he stuck stoutly to his tale. Diver W. S. Johnson, the foreman, decided to descend and investigate. Ho shortly after to- appeared, and entirely confirmed the first diver’s narrative, for he had himself seen the monster. As a result, all the divers engaged by the Admiralty Pier became alarmed, and would not go near the spot where this marine nightmare held sway. Subsequent investigations elucidated the mystery. Some time previously, in course of work at the pier, many blocks of stone had been dumped at the end of it, and by come means a conger eel had got imprisoned in a cavity among them, the ee! at the time, it was supposed, not being fully grown. Its subsequent natural development to a huge size prevented its escape from its prison, but it managed to exist by darting out so far as it could get, and grabbing unsuspecting fish as they passed by. In confirmation of this, on. the sea bed, exactly beneath the aperture, were to be seen the remains of demolished fish. The conger was left unmolested in his subaqeous chamber for some time, until, when the pier was finally joined to the old works, it became necessary to still further imprison him, and the only aperture to his prison bouse was cemented up. This curious story is vouched for by all the divers concerned and the contractors abovenamed.