The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-20
LIVE BENEATH THE WAVES.
Natives of South Sea Islands Pass
Much of Their Time There.
Philadelnhia adpar

Away out in the South Pacific ocean.
where white men rarely are seen, there lies
a little coral atoll known as Hikueru atoll.
1t is different from most coral atolls of
which you read in your geography, for il is
solid ring of coral and the lagoon inside
OF it can be entered only by dragging boats
over the beach
This lagoon is one of the most valuable
pearl shelf lagoons and is sought every
year by the jewellers on Taihati and other
ISLANDS or the south seas to fish for pearls
The French government, which owns the
atoll, has forbidden the use of diving suits
because 1t is feared that this method would
the diving is done in the ancient South sea
way, by men and boys and women, who go
down with no artificial help.
ing they set out from f5eir is ine pearl nsn
them 400 miles away from the atoll Most
OF the natives bring their families and
household effects with them Many bring
even their houses. This is not so difficult
an undertaking as it may appear at first
sight, for the houses are made from light
cocoanut palms and pandanus leaves They
are built up in sections, so hey are easy
TO take apart and transport.
Most OF the diving is done in water from
sixty to seventy feet deep The sea Is So
clear in the atoll that the diver can study
the bottom perfectly with water glass and
locate the best clumps of shell before he
dives.
When he is ready to go down he slips into
the water over the side of the boat and
holding TO the gunwale with one hand. he
looks downward through the water glass
The moment he sights a good lot of shells
air until his chest is Inflated as far as n
can be, and then exhaling Ii slowly through
the mouth, so that it makes a whistli1e
sound. Having thus cleaned out his lungs
ne takes long breath. filling his chest with
perfectly pure air, and then he lets go of
the gunwale instantly and sinks below the
surface feet foremost
After he has thus sunk about ten feet he
turns quickly and swims toward the botto-n
head first. cleaving the water as gracefrIIv
and swiftly as fish would. On touching
pottom ne hauis himself along by seizing
clumps OF coral until he reaches the shells
Then he breaks them of the reef with his
right hand. which is protected with white
cotton CLOTH
net of cocoanut fiber which he carries over
his shoulder. Then he stands erect. and i'm
mediately he shoots toward the surface as
If he were pulled up by a rope So swiftly
does he ascend that he frequently seems 70
leap out of the water when he reaches the
surface. 'e
sea islands can swim and dive almost as
we'll as il they were water jewellers. One OF
them made an exhibition dive for the on
GERS OF the United States Fish Commission
steamship Albatross last year. He Remained
under the water two minutes and forty sec
onds. and reached bottom at a depth of 100
feet under the boats keel. The water was
go transparent that the beholders could 500
him clearly. They declare that after he
had touched bottom at this enc ,ous dentb
he calmly picked over the pieces OF coral
and shell at the bottom TO select one 70
bring up. exactly as man might Gull fow-
ers when working at his ease in a garden
This young diver was ready to 60 down |
again only few minutes after he came IN
She Raised BIuebirds.
New England Farmer
A young lady Of Guilford VT. has en-,
ceeded In the novel experiment of raising
pair OF young bluebirds. made orphans hv
The appetite of a pet cat. supposedly. as
me cat was seen iunching of biuebird one |
lay. suspicion was aroused at once ae
pair OF the birds were known to have nested
n tree near by, following out a place for
their eggs on the trunk where q linn hsd
been broken on. Upon examination two
little birds. perhaps tSo days old. we've
'ound In the nest. which was then watched.
IND when the young lady was sure thar M
bird came to care for the little ones shs
ook the task upon herself. First she &C.
:nIeo the nest from further mclestation
IND from the cold by lacking up a sfrip ~
iannei above IT and driving In nails below.
2 the heads Of which the lower edse 90
ne Manned Was closely buttoned when the |
little ones were left alone. She fed thecS !