奇书网

第15章 沉船脱险 1（第1页）

第15章沉船脱险（1）

TrappedinaSunkenShip

理查德·米兰达RichardMiranda

Withaloudhecorrodedbulkheadcollapsed，sealingoffthediver'sescaperoute。Noeddesperatelythroughthedarkmazeofdrownedpassageways，heeasurehislifeexpecyprecisely—bythe25-minutesupplyofairinhistan。。。

HadIknoasfaJune16，1979，Iwouldhedock。AsitreoccupiedwiththewreckoftheUSSSanDiego，Iheadedmy47-footdiveboat，theBarnacleBill，outofJo，LongIsland，N。Y。

AnAmeriheavycruiser，theSanDiegohadmetherfatesin1918assheescoshipsabouttehofFireIsland。Somecrewmembersclaimedthestrue。AsaprofessioainIdidn'tcarewhyshesank，onlythatIhadagoodd20scubadiversaboard，alleagertohitthewaterinsearchofartifacts。

Threeandahalfhourslater，theBarnacleBillarrivedatthewredwedrrapplinghook。IsummonedcrewmembersDoreandLarsHansen，ahevesselforthedive。SinandLarsarebothliseds，theycouldattendtheBarnacleBillwhileIdived。

&opsidechoresweretakencareof，Isuitedup，hitthewaterlashandswamtowardtheaerwascrystalclear。Mostofthediverswerealreadyatthebottom，andIcouldseetheirbubblesingtothesurface。Whatasight！

&down，Icouldalreadymakeoutthewreck'sdarkoffthebottomlikethelonelyruinsofacathedral。

&owardthestern，lookingforahehullthatIhadusedonearlierdives。Ikwouldtakemetothesmallarmslockerreviouslylomunitiohemselvesshouldbenearby，Ifigured：Theywouldmakegreatsouvenirs，evenifcorroded。

DivingiheSanDiegogerous，aelyisnihevesselisupsidedier，andyouethefrigidlograbsyouwhenyouswimiwistsandturerior。

Ispottedtheopening，movedinsideandplayedmylightaroucorridor。Ikhisseofthewreckwell，butasIserIsawthatrustingbulkheadsanddegdeckshadgivenwaydurier，gtheshapeoftheinteriorsiderably。

SuddenlyIheardaloudurnedandswamback40feettowardthefirstbulkhead。WhenIgotthere，Iwasstruckwithterror。ThenoiseIhadheardwasabulkheadgagaihroughwhichIhadehewreck。

I>

IntotheMaze。MyheartbeatsoloudIcouldhearitIwaoscreamforhelp，pray，kiallthisintoanightmarefromwhichIcouldawake。Butitwasnonightmare。Mhtwasofmyownmaking，Ihadgonedownimproperlyequipped—oguidemebaoalternateairsupplyand，mostimportant，nodivingindflashedbackfouryearswhenmycolleaguespulledthebodyofadiverfromthesamewretefromahroughwhichhemighthaveescaped。Buthehadpaheequipmenta-ditchefforttoswimtosafety。Hisfichedtothebonebyhisvaiearthroughtheship'shull。

Itriedtorelax，beewthemoreexcitedIgot，thefasterIwoulduseupmyair。Physiingoodshape，Ithought，soIshouldbeabletostretiofthistank。Batwhatshouldldo？Ihadtoprobedeeperintothewredanopeoescapethrough。

Ithoughtofthedes。Oftendiverswouldsqueezethroughopeniurretsandworktheirwayintothevessel。IfIgettothegus，I'llhaveacetheshipwasied，hubeburiedundersandontheo'sfloierwouldypreciousairsupply，becausethemorepressureyouhaveonyourbody，themoreairittakestofillys。

Igedatthepossibilities，butfiguredIhadtusasfastasIdared，withoutgettingoutofbreath。

Ifouallowedmetogolowerintotheship。AsItwistedthroughamazeofnarrowcorridors，athousanduglyvisiohroughmymind。EaiIrobablygoingtodie。