Luckily he still retained his hold of the pump, and after a desperate struggle managed to direct the jet of water on to himself until he loosened one arm. As the water softened the clay, he worked the other arm free, then little by little his legs. Wrapping them round a wire, he directed the pump upwards and inch by inch wriggled and burrowed his way through that dozen feet of clay to the surface. His air-pipe was hopelessly entangled, so he was compelled to cut it before he could be hauled up to safety. No diver would care to undergo such an experience a second time. Comedy so seldom plays a part in diving adventures that a case which occurred some years ago is worth recording. Divers had been at work for some time hauling the cargo out of a submerged wreck, when one of them, upon being drawn up, displayed quite exceptional signs of exhaustion. A sleep soon put him right, and he resumed work next day. Again he showed signs of acute fatigue, which passed away after a night’s rest. The following morning he went down as usual, and this time when he came up he was quite unable to stand. He collapsed on the deck, while those aboard crowded round, very concerned about his safety. Hastily unscrewing his helmet, one of the salvors sniffed in a puzzled sort of way. A familiar smell came to his nostrils. He sniffed once more, the others looking at him queerly. “What’s wrong?” “Whisky!” muttered the kneeling man, thinking his sense of smell must have betrayed him. They all sniffed in unison, and the smell was unmistakable. “He’s drunk!” said the first man. The idea was preposterous! “But how----?” queried another. That was the question which baffled them. How was it possible for a diver to get drunk under water? The mystery would have delighted Sherlock Holmes. There were cases of whisky in the wreck at the bottom of the sea, but the diver would be drowned if he attempted to drink it. He was imprisoned in his suit. So how? Not a word did they say to the drowsy diver, but when he went down the following day another diver discreetly followed. He saw the first diver take a bottle of whisky and proceed to a cabin. Instantly the mystery was cleared up. The exhaust air from his helmet, collecting here, had formed an air pocket, and the diver, poking his helmet out of the water, calmly unscrewed the glass front and took a good pull at the bottle. In this ingenious manner did he manage to get drunk under water!