Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-04-03
THE PEARL DIVER.
THE MAN WHO PeRlUS HIS life TO.
AOORN BEAUTY.
His Work and Wages Methods Of Pearl
Shell Fishing Diseases which Follow
the OccuPstion-The West
Australia Fisheries-
Cincinnati Enauirer.

the occupation-fhe West
Australia Fisheries
Cincinnati Enquirer
The pearl-Shell fisheries of Torres straits
belonging 10 the colony of Queensland, are
situated 40 miles from Brisbane and more
than 2.up mile, from the city of Sydney.
Torres straits are about eighty miles i'll
width and separate Queensland from tine
island of New Guinea. They lie between
the parallels degrees ~ minutes and 10 de
gr,S.s ~ minutes south latitude. The navi-
cation of the straits, although said "a he
safe and practicable, is in fact very diff
cult, on account of the innumerahle islands,
reefs and shoals scattered through them.
A good diver can earn from S'O Ia $50
per month He usually signs signs shipping
articles for period not exceeding three
years at fixed sum per month and interest
in the catch or lay. Mr. Bayne. of Sydney,
thu. owner of an important station at Prince
of Wales island, and who for many years
has b,S.n engaged i'll pearl->hell fishing states
that several Divers i'll his employ have
earned as much aS 500 per month The
divers and crew are composed pf South Sea
islanders and Malays and few Chinese and
LaSCars. The diver is the captain of the
boat. and the men have u Oiey his orders.
The duties Of the tender consist in waiting
on the diver, helping him Ia dress,
and looking after HIM while in the
water. The pay of the tender is from
$40 10 Sl2 per month with a small interest
in the catch, generally FROM ne-siXtleth 10
one-e -eightirth part Of the value of the she'll
The vessels usually have one diver and four
tenders, who compose the crew. The tend
eTs are shipped in regular ships articler,
and are paid of like any other merchant
seamen.
METHOD OF FISHING.
The method in pearl fishing is for num-
Der of vessels 10 start out together and fish
on the same ground. Each vessel carries
supplies Ia last fortnight. When IN about
eight fathoms OF water, If the tide Is slack,
the diver will jump overheard.
His boots are heavily weighted with
Lead - a. to hasten his descent
Upon reaChing the bottom he walk
lelSurely along until he comes t" patch Of
shells. then he signals 10 the boat to cast
anchor. He carries with him sack or bag
to hold the shell, and As >''"n As 1t Is hlled 1t
Is lifted up, empt"d out and sent down to
him again. he being able to remain under
water several hours at time. Some divers
remain down fa"m ""'clock in the morn.
ing until "cl"ck IN the afternoon.
The shell llee open on the ground, and
great care Is required IN handling 1t, for Is
touched IN the wrong way IL VIII close upon
the hand Ike wee. Accidents OF this
knd NOT lnirelnehtiy hapl@h 10 lheNper-
fenced divers. Who are Obliged To signal
those above I" hIt theih up and remove the
shell from their hahd>-
TIM TRUE PEARL OYSTER
The monS""nS. which blow IN the strait
from May until the end of September, are
often 80 severe that beats nave 10 lay up Tor
as much as ten Gays at a Tune Inc average
catch for each boat Is from one l" one and
half tons ot shell per month. Unlike the
hsherles IN IeNl"h ana the ferslah gun,
there Is iittle OF no dltncuitN IN removing
the shell Tor II elther lies loose on the ground
or Is only nrtlaIlS buried IN the mud OF
sand Inc hsherleS on the coast OF West
Australia, ana especially at Sharks' hay,
pf"du'e the uue pearl oyster, the
4Niculh Matsari'iiera f"r long
lne this smell was suplHrSH 10 lie val
useless on account OF ltS thih anu fragile
structure, Out no" Ihete Is great demand
Tor IL Doth IN America ana III Europe IL
Is espec1aIly prlzed 10y the Frehch ana Ger-
man artists Tor me lniald cahinet work
A mass oi pearls IN the form ot perfect
cross was found IN Nlckol bay, West Aus
tralla, last year, each pearl being the size OF
a large pea, and perfect IN form and color.
The oysters III the west Australia Fisheries
are generally removed by passing an iron
dredge over the banks but divers are alS"
emplnHed feaTl oysters are greSarlous IN
their habits ana whenever one Is met with
It Is almost certain That vast numbers OF
others VIII pe found IN the imnedlate neigh
borhood
The DIVER OCCUPATION.
Divers are expert swimmers, and they 60
down to depth OF four or hve fathomS,
where IL Is SAID some oil them can remain
two minutes The occupation is an un-
healthy one ana soon produces deafness and
diseases OF the chest and lungs Blood not
lhlreiuehIy ho"s from the mouth; ears ahc
nostrlls aftr the usual DIP OF forty or nifty
SeCNHiS, "hiCh i rel"au.N hlty OF Sixty
ufnes a day. 1he men ais" run the risk OF
belhg eaten ny SHARKS although death from
this cause Is not apt to occur, except in un-
trled hAhlhg ground, aS the noise OF the
divers Is almost certain to drive the sharks
away. Ihe authorities Of Queensland have
OFTEN Deeh uhJuStly cerisureu Tor allowing
the natives TO follow the occupation Of div
Mr.. Henry NJ Chester. the resident mag
istrate at Thursday island, says in n recent
report on the fisheries, that the natives are
never overworked, and that they are always
well fed and kindly treated He further says
that payment is usually made them IN
blankets, clothing, knives, hatchets and
beads, and that whenever they are diSSatis-
fed with what they receive they seek otheI.
employment Mr.. Chester is of the opinion
that the competition for their services is of
such a character as to invariably secure for
them fair treatment All the available