The San Francisco call., 1906-10-07

pattern-sharp both fore and aft; long,
low and rakish looking craft all
manned by native oarsmen, with. a
boat steerer, and a coolie for bailing
out the water, as all native craft leak
badly, being constructed OF cocoanut
wood and bound with the fibre of the
same tree.
Of for the Diving.
At the end Of the fourth day Spent in
palaver.. publishing notices and issu-
ing instructions, the first diving day
was fixed and two hundred boats were
ready for the treasure hunt and in
structed to take on board their divers
and leave at midnight with the offshore
wind, which would bring them up to
the banks with the first CLEAN of day
light The steamer. with the superin-
tendent and his boat crew. stood out
for the banks, while remained with
the feet to see as much as possible of
their work.
Sleep being impossible, watched the
boatmen and divers merrymaking on
the beach. Some were dancing to the
weird music OF the tom-tom, scores
were chanting their wild songs in
spired with toddy and arrack. The
night was hot and pitchy black, torches
flashed and bonfres blazed, lighting up
the palm groves, temples and bazaars
in one lurid glare. A shark charmer
was holding forth from the top OF
huge heap OF blanched oyster shells,
and as the fire leaped up he appeared
to be clothed in fame.
A few notes of thunder from the
great gong OF the government bunga-
low and instantly all noises ceased.
The shark charmer stole to the arrack
bazaar and the camp follower, the boat
men. divers and poems crowded down
to the beach and through the water
each man to his post and more than
four thousand human beings packed
themselves into boats without noise
and confusion, leaving plenty of open
space in each boat for the gem bearing
oysters
A momentary hush and then came
the final signal Boom! went the field
piece from the base OF the Flagstaff and
away went. the feet In gallant style. A
long discordant shout from shore, an
swered Justify by the boat crews, and
all was silent, save the CHEEKY ripple
from cur bows. The breeze was fresh,
the sea smooth as glass, and our fleet
made rapid ways from the land, the
great yellow bamboo masts pointed
high in air. with their enormous. beau
tifully white sails lit up by the fires
on shore as they filled to the breeze;
they seemed like host of huge winged
monsters on the deep off for the gem Of
chance. On the soft cushions of our
roomy craft slept several hours, to be
reused at daybreak and taken on board
the steamer. while the fleet went astern
and quietly awaited orders.
Plunge Of the Five Hundred.
After coffee and cheroot was taken
on board the cutter again. A gun was
fired and away we went as before.
Each boat took a station and when
the feet was in proper order all eyes
were turned to the steamer. awaiting
the signal to begin operations. All
was anxiety. Five divers in each boat
stood like ebony statues on the gun
wales, armed with diving stones. nets
and ropes, the extra divers eagerly
watching them.
The superintendent stood on the deck
of the steamer with sailor at his
side holding the signal halyards Min
utes seemed hours. At last the signal
flag rose slowly. and as it touched the
masthead and broke out on the morn
ing breeze 500 divers. with their stones
and nets, plunged silently into the sea.