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"
Then under the bottom, wi' the best o' luck an' give 'em hell!" cried a young
fellow who had been in the trenches.
"
To the diving-stations!" I commanded, and in less than a minute the deck was
deserted, the conning-tower covers had slammed to and the U-33 was
submerging--possibly for the last time. I know that I had this feeling, and I think
that most of the others did.
As we went down, I sat in the tower with the searchlight projecting its seemingly
feeble rays ahead. We submerged very slowly and without headway more than
sufficient to keep her nose in the right direction, and as we went down, I saw
outlined ahead of us the black opening in the great cliff. It was an opening that
would have admitted a half-dozen U-boats at one and the same time, roughly
cylindrical in contour--and dark as the pit of perdition.
As I gave the command which sent the U-33 slowly ahead, I could not but feel a
certain uncanny presentiment of evil. Where were we going? What lay at the end
of this great sewer? Had we bidden farewell forever to the sunlight and life, or
were there before us dangers even greater than those which we now faced? I tried
to keep my mind from vain imagining by calling everything which I observed to
the eager ears below. I was the eyes of the whole company, and I did my best not
to fail them. We had advanced a hundred yards, perhaps, when our first danger
confronted us. Just ahead was a sharp right-angle turn in the tunnel. I could see
the river's flotsam hurtling against the rocky wall upon the left as it was driven
on by the mighty current, and I feared for the safety of the U-33 in making so
sharp a turn under such adverse conditions; but there was nothing for it but to
try. I didn't warn my fellows of the danger--it could have but caused them useless
apprehension, for if we were to be smashed against the rocky wall, no power on
earth could avert the quick end that would come to us. I gave the command full
speed ahead and went charging toward the menace. I was forced to approach the
dangerous left-hand wall in order to make the turn, and I depended upon the
power of the motors to carry us through the surging waters in safety. Well, we
made it; but it was a narrow squeak. As we swung around, the full force of the
current caught us and drove the stern against the rocks; there was a thud which
sent a tremor through the whole craft, and then a moment of nasty grinding as
the steel hull scraped the rock wall. I expected momentarily the inrush of waters
that would seal our doom; but presently from below came the welcome word that
all was well.
In another fifty yards there was a second turn, this time toward the left! but it
was more of a gentle curve, and we took it without trouble. After that it was plain
sailing, though as far as I could know, there might be most anything ahead of us,
and my nerves strained to the snapping-point every instant. After the second
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