WHAT PEARL-DIVING MEANS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 55, 5 March 1904, Page 10

WHAT PEARL-DIVING MEANS.

A graphic account of tlio dangerouß work which diving nftcr pearls involves, is given by Air. Hugh Clifford in his "Studies ie Brown Humanity." "All tho boats," Jig writes, in describing tho Malay pearl fishers, "are maimed at luorning and evening, and tho Sulu boys row thorn out to tho point selected for tbo day's operations. Tho white man iv chargo always goes with them in. order to keep an eyo upon tho sliolls", to resuscitate exhausted divers, and generally to look after his own interests. Preseptly a .man lowors himself slowly OTer the side, takes a long, deep breath, and {hen, turning head downward, swims into tlio depths, his limbs shewing dimly in frog-like motions, until, if tho water be very deep, ho is completely lost to sight. In a few minutes ho comes into view again, his face straining upward, yearning with extended neck for tho air that he now needs ao sorfrly. His hands cleave the water in strong downward strokes ; his form grwvs ittomeivt&rily more distinct, unUl tho llxed tenso expression of his staring face in plainly visible. Then tho quiet surface of the boh hplashes in a thousand drops of sim-Rtcopeil light as Jiis licad tcu'S through it, nnd his bursting lungs, expelling the invprisonod »ir, draw in tho broath which they crave in long, hard

g.tsps. If tho divo has been a deep one, a little blood may ho seen to tricklo fioin tho nosi! and mouth ami rur-s. At times oven tho eye-sockets oosso blood, the; icsuit of the fe.trful prc&Huio to which the diver has bin-n subjected.