Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-17

less city, fathoms below, which magma
tion peopled with mermaids and sea SER
penis and other fearful creatures.
At length the unseen operators below
telegraphed to be brought to the surface,
and being speedily hauled up, appeared
not much the worse for their long sub
marine experience-thanks to the metal
clothes, with their admirable breathing
apparatus Each had his basket full OF
shells, but whether it held fortune or fail
ure could not be determined until they
were opened on land in presence of the
proper authorities. The diver is expected
to exercise
JUDGMENT IN SELECTING
The oysters, leaving undisturbed the
younger growth; while it is weli-known
that the oldest and largest shells seldom
contain any pearls, though they are often
brought up for the value OF the shells. The
native divers depend a good deal upon
charms, signs and incantations, and call
devoutly upon Santa Guadalupe and all
the other saints and saintesses for miracu-
lous evidence in the selection.
On rising to the surface, each empties
his basket or bag into the nearest surf
boat, which, under careful guard, delivers
the load to the waiting schoonerS, the
latter discharging its accumulated cargo
on shore, when the days fishing is con-
cluded, A very strict police system is
maintained to prevent thieving, vet, in
spite Of all precaution it is constantly 60
ing on. No sooner has the vessel deposited
its cargo than it is Immediately sur
rounded by armed soldiers, while the shells
are being opened and searched for gems.
When the little ivory treasures have
been collected, their value is estimated
and settlement made at once with the
divers, who usually receive twenty-five per
cent. of the total find, paid by an allot-
ment of the pearls and shells taken during
the day. And generally the European
agents on the spot have gobbled every
thing of account before it leaves the in
closure. This makes the divers income
rather uncertain, but is better both for
master and man, as melting a naturally
indolent race to greater diligence. Though
the fishing season occupies but half the
year, the profits Of the divers should be
sufficient to maintain them in comfort dur
ing the months of idleness, allowing a
wide margin for the gambling and other
extrayaganees to which they are Univers-
ally addicted, It frequently happens,
however, that a diver, having drank and
gambled himself into abiect poverty be-
fore the working season again rolls around,
goes about offering a genuine treasure for
a few shillings, or for bottle Of mescaI ;
but if the European agents are gone he
can hardly dispose of it at any price.
The Indian divers are
WONDERFUL SWIMMERS,
Apparently as much at home in the sea as
are the fnny tribes themselves. They
brave all manner of marine monsters with
out the slightest fear, and show wonderful
skill in their work. They can swim
equally well with one hand and one foot
or with both feet and hands while they
rapidly knock off the she'll from the reefs
and rocks TO which they so tenaciously
cling, and cram them into a sack of woven
maguey fiber suspended by rope around
the neck. A knife, or a short, stout stick,
serves both for weapon and implement
and while tearing up the shells he con-
tinually runs from side to side in order to
elude the vigilance OF his marine foes by
stirring up the sand and rendering the
water turbid.
The fatigue of diving without apparatus
is very great, and the fishers frequently
discharge quantities of blood and water
from the ears and nostrils on being drawn
into the boat; but this does not hinder them
from making forty or fifty plunges in course
of day. They generally remain under
water about two minutes at time; few
are able to endure it three or four minutes
without any patent breathing apparatus
and we are assured that an Aniauga In
dian will remain submerged six minutes
The peninsular divers, having been almost
born in the water, seem to have acquired an
nature, akin to that of the
South Sea islanders, and if travellers amuse
themselves by tossing overheard handfuls
of small coin, they will 'duck" for it like
lightning, and come up laughingly With
every piece.
One of the most successful fishers on the
California coast is the owner of some
pearl-oyster beds near Malege, who en-
ploys only Indian divers. Every day dur
ing the season he sends, out twenty surf
boats, each containing twenty -one men,
including ten divers. The latter 60 down
alternately, five at time; thus keeping
the work constantly in progress, while
half the divers are recovering from the
consequent fatigue Each boat is fur
nished with five large perforated stones,
pyramidal-shaped, and rounded at TOP and
bottom. To each of these is fixed q rope,
and diver, when about to plunge, seizes
one of the ropes with the toes of his
rIoht foot trls ia 70 L. I.
ponds his network bag. Then he grasps
another rope with his right hand, while
with his left he keeps the water out of his
nostrils,
FIGHTS HIS DEEP SEA ENEMIES
And fills his bag with shells. On no ac-
count must he let go the rope in his right
hand, for by it only can ne signal those
above to pull him up when the unnatural
element can no longer be endured. We
read that similar process is made use of
In Ceylon, where the divers become so
dextrous with their feet as to use their
toes as other people do their fingers, in
threading needles, picking up straws, etc.
The complete Indifference of the divers
to that source Of terror to novices-the
sharks that infest the shining waters-is
scarcely less astonishing than their skill in
destroying the monsters. OF the hundreds
who daily go down into the deep, scarcely
q diver is ever injured; but it is not I'M
common for careless schooner bows to be
snapped overheard or left to sink down
among the oyster-beds, shorn of a leg or
arm. Whether the divers skill has be-
come matter of tradition among the
shark family, cannot say, but certain it
is that while the huge monsters avoid him
as natural enemy, and never venture into
close quarters unless urged to battle by ex-
eessive hunger, they seem to be eternally
on the lookout for land-lubbers, and can
distinguish one with the eye of a connis-
seur.
If a hungry shark insists on making
meal OF diver he almost invariably gets
the worst of it. Armed only with his
knife, or short stout stick, the willy Indian