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Wing Shells, Pearl Oysters and Hammer Oysters — Part 2

Before descending, the divers sit around on deck for some little time, inflating their lungs to the fullest capacity, exhaling the air through the mouth, making a low, whistling sound. No clothing is worn except a breech cloth. On the shoulders is carried a bag net in which to put the shells. It is made of cocoanut fibre and is about twenty inches deep and twelve inches across; size of mesh, 2 3/4 inches. It offers little resistance and will carry all the shells a man can bring to the surface. In the left hand is carried a pearl shell, which serves the same purpose as a knife. With it obstacles are removed from the bottom and shells are loosened from their bed. The right hand is protected by a white cotton mitten.

When ready to descend, the diver slips over the side of the boat, holding to the rail with one hand and holding the water glass in the other. Locating some particular point at the bottom, he lets go of the rail, drops the glass, takes a deep breath and sinks out of sight, feet foremost. Descending about ten feet, he quickly turns head downward, and swims to the bottom. When hardly a third of the distance has been reached, he has the appearance of being on the bottom, so transparent is the water. On reaching it he places himself in a horizontal position, seemingly hauling himself along from one point to another.

One man consented to give an exhibition dive in deep water. The cutter was dropped off a short distance from the shoal, and a sounding made in seventeen fathoms (102 feet) of water. We watched through water glasses the diver's movements from the time of sinking below the surface until rising to the top again, two minutes and forty seconds.

Reaching his destination, he began picking over pieces of coral, brushing aside broken shell and other debris in the same manner as if he were working in a garden. He investigated the bottom for some sixty or seventy feet from the initial point of landing. When ready to ascend he stood erect, and came up as if being pulled with considerable force, shooting out of the water half-way to the waist. He seemed to suffer no unusual discomfort, and in a short time was ready to go down again. There is a record dive of twenty-three fathoms.