Visitors in
holiday attire collected in groups to watch the operations, and eagerly
joined with his excellency in helping to pull the wire ashore. When it
was landed, the Reverend Mr. Day, of Kenmore, offered up a prayer,
asking the Almighty to prosper the undertaking, Next day the expedition
sailed; but ere the Niagara had proceeded five miles on her way the
shore-end parted, and the repairing of it delayed the start for another
day.
At first the Niagara went slowly ahead to avoid a mishap, but as the
cable ran out easily she increased her speed. The night fell, but
hardly a soul slept. The utmost vigilance was maintained throughout the
vessel. Apart from the noise of the paying-out machinery, there was an
awful stillness on board. Men walked about with a muffled step, or
spoke in whispers, as if they were afraid the sound of their voices
would break the slender line. It seemed as though a great and valued
friend lay at the point of death.
The submarine hill, with its dangerous slope, was passed in safety, and
the 'telegraph plateau,' nearly two miles deep, was reached, when
suddenly the signals from Ireland, which told that the conductor was
intact, stopped altogether. Professor Morse and De Sauty, the
electricians, failed to restore the communication, and the engineers
were preparing to cut the cable, when quite as suddenly the signals
returned, and every face grew bright.
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