Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-09-13
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
FsArs OF THESE RECKLESS PACIFIC
OCEAN ISLANDERS.

sharks and sting Ray Are
Among the Dangers They brave.
Three native divers famous for their
Heep water feats came out In a pearl
ing sloop with lis one afternoon and
gave fine exhibition. says writer
IN the London Graphic. The bed over
which we halted was about ninety feet
under the surface. Our three divers
stripped 10 "pareo'' apiece. and then
sPua'ung down on the gunwale OF the
boat with their hands hanging over
their knees. appeared to mediate.
Ihey We're taking their wind tho
white steersman informed me.
After about FIVE minutes OF perfec,
stiffness they suddenly got up and
dived or the thwart The rest OF ma
hdgeted up and down the tiny deck
talked, speculated and passed away
u'e time Tor what seemed an extraor-
dinarily long period No one. unfor-
tunately, had brought n watch. but the
,raders and schooner captains all agree
IN saying that the PeRrhyn diver can
stay under water for full three min
utes. At last. one after another. the
dark heads popped up again. aud the
divers, each carrying Il shell or two
swan back TO the boat. got on board
and presented their catch 10 me with
the ease, grace and high bred courtesy
that are the birthrght Of all Pacific Is
landers
As a general rule. the divers carry
baskets and fill them before coming
up. Each man opens his own catch NJ
once ana hunts through the shells for
pearls. Usually be does not find any.
Now and then be gets a small gray
pearl or decent white one or q big.
Irregular "baroque" pearl OF the "neyv
art variety. and once I'm "A month of
sundays he is rewarded by a large.
cleaning gem worth several hundred
pounds, for which he will probabl,-
get go or f3O.
Diving dresses are sometimes used
IN Penrhyn. but I'm such an Irregular
ana risky manner that they are really
more dangerous than the ordinary
method The suit il nothing but =
helmet and jumper. No boots are
worn. no clothing whatever on the
legs. and there are 40 weights 10 prc.
serve the divers balance. II some
times happens. though wonderfully
seldom. that the diver trips. falls ana
turns upside down. the hCaNr helmet
Keeping him head downward until the
mir All PUSHES ont under tho hummer.
and lac is miscrably sunocatcl. The
air pump above is often carelessly
worked. I'm any ease. ana there Is no
recognized system Of signals exccnt
the Jerks that mean pull up"
They're the most reckless devils on
the face OF the earth" said local
trader. Once let man strike "a good
bed OF shell. ANA he won't leave Il.
Hell stick down here all day. grab
bling away I'm twenty fathoms or more
till he feels paralysis coming on
"Paralysisg"
"Ycs-thcy get IL. lots of 'cn. II
you was % = down I'm twenty faith
oms they can 10 Eve aud twenty. but
anything over IS touch and go-and
stay ALI the day. you'd come Up owl
Ing like anything ami not able 10 move.
That's the way DC catches them. and
then they must get some ORC 10 come
and rub them with sea water all night
long. and maybe they dies. and maybe
they're ull right 10y morning s. then
down they goes again. just the same
as ever. Sometimes manm Ice pulled
up dead M the END OF the day. How
does that happcnt Well. l allow it's
because he's been working at big
depth all day and feels all right. and
then. DO YOU see he'll find something
a bit extra below OF him. In hollcr
Ike. and down he'll g after Il. and
the extra fathom or two does the trick.
sharks? Well. I've seen you pop
ping az them from the deck OF the
Duchess. so YOU know as we'll as | 10
how many there are. Didn't 1T them
because you 'avcn't CREASED your bull
let. / suppose. You want TO. II the
water isn't o. turn ii aside. But about
the divers? Oh, they don't mind
sharks none Of them. when they've got
the dress ON. Sharks Is easy scared.
You've only got 10 pull up your jump
ers a bit, and the air bubbles ont and
frightens them TO fits. II you meet
big sting ray it'l run its spine into
you and spoil the dress. SOS the water
comes in. and maybe iCn stick tho
diver too. And the big devilfish is
nasty. Hell hold You down on a rock.
but you can use your knife on him.
The kara mauaA Is the worst The
divers don't IKE him. He's not as
big as shark. bur he's downright
wicked and he's II mouth on him rs
big as ALI his body. II an onoo comes
along EN- bite an arm or leg off the
man anyway and eat i'm outright II 'e's
big enough TO do il. SwOrdhsh? Well.
they don't often come into the lagoon;
it's the fishing canoes outside they'll
go Tor. Yes, they'll run canoe and a
man through at a blow easy enough.
but they don't often do ii.
About the diving? Well. l think the
naked diving is very near as safe as the
machine, taking all things. Worst Of 1t
is. If kara mauaa or an onOo comes
along, the diver can't wait his time
till IL goes. No, he doesn't stab it
not inside the lagoon because there's
too many Of them there, and the blood
would bring whole pack about. He
gets under ledge Of rock and hopes
it'll 90 away before his wind gives
out. If ne don't. he gets eat"